in america, it's also similar, 1 in 6 or 1 in 8 below poverty line, depends on what source you use.

the line was quite loose, so many poors actually live in a quite comfortable way, compared with developing nations.

for example, many americans below the "hunger" line are actually obese, they eat too much cheap junk food.

japan is between europe and america, one of the best place to live, boasting one of the highest living expectancy nations, all achieved with a small size land and not much natural resources.

although japan basically stop growing for 2 decades, due to deflation and population decrease its per capita income actually grows steadily.

as a chinese we shouldn't, don't worry about their livings, doing that is laughable. we may pass them as #2 economy, but we ahve wenchuan, yushu, zhouqu,a nd endless coal mine tragedies.

and there's no ending to that in the foresseable futture