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Japan Today Spotlight #72 | Japan’s ‘hikikomori’ shut-ins are getting older — and the clock is ticking

June 18 10:09 pm JST 8 Comments By Jeff W. RichardsTOKYO

Japan is home to an estimated 1.46 million hikikomori — people who withdraw from society and self-isolate, often in their elderly parents’ homes.

Once thought of as a youth problem, the phenomenon has aged significantly. More than 43% of hikikomori are now over 40, and the parents supporting them are in their 60s and 70s. As those parents age and pass away, the question of what happens next has become urgent.

This episode of Japan Today Spotlight looks at the Employment Ice Age generation that gave rise to the crisis, the 8050 problem that defines it, and the individuals and organizations working to help shut-ins find their way back.

Since publication, the episode has drawn more than 1,000 comments on YouTube, with many viewers saying the story felt familiar far beyond Japan — in their families, their countries and their own lives.

Watch the full episode

Discussion question

Mayumi Kikuchi helped bring Fujisato’s 113 hikikomori down to fewer than 10 — one door at a time. With over 1.46 million shut-ins across Japan, can that approach ever scale up?

Chapters

00:00 Intro: Kazuyuki Tachiki
01:05 Why do people become hikikomori?
03:22 Aging hikikomori: the 80-50 problem
04:38 What happens when parents pass on?
05:27 What is the government doing?
08:04 Planning for the inevitable
09:39 Finding a voice: SHIP! magazine
11:26 Signs of progress: Fujisato
13:22 Outro

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The views and opinions expressed in this video are those of the host and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of GPlusMedia, Inc.© Japan Today

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8 Comments Login to comment

IVOJune 19 12:12 pm JST

2 days zero comment?

strange.since topic is very japanese one…

Moderator: There are more than 700 comments on YouTube. Please click on the YouTube link.

4( +5 / -1 )

RyokaiJune 20 09:06 am JST

I suppose when Japan becomes a less stressful society the 1.5 million hikikomori will come out and play. In the meantime, the hikikomori are a huge wasted economic and demographic resource.

3( +4 / -1 )

Cakewalk JPJune 21 07:36 am JST

Many of them are likely unrecognised and untreated autistic (from and ASD person)

-5( +1 / -6 )

Geeter MckluskieJune 22 06:48 am JST

The advent of the Internet and living in a wealthy enough nation in which people can live either off the government or their parents has facilitated this phenomenon that. Also, cheap rent has helped cause the hikkikomori phenomenon. It’s much easier to socially withdraw if you get welfare and have access to a 3万 apartment.

Here are the nations in which the phenomenon is most widespread:

Middle group:

Japan

Canada

United States

Germany

United Kingdom

Highest rates (worst):

Italy

Greece

Turkey

0( +3 / -3 )

section321June 22 04:46 pm JST

If you lose your job in Japan in your 40’s, it seems like it is very difficult to get another job. I know someone that lost a graphic designed job in early 40’s and was never able to find another. Only options were arubeito type jobs.

1( +1 / -0 )

ToshihiroJune 23 09:15 am JST

I’ve been a Hikkikomori for several times, spanning months since graduating college. I’m just burnt out of society’s bovine dung, but there’s no way out of the system but to just survive it long enough. Let me tell you, being a recluse is like getting sick with a terminal illness that gets worse the longer it becomes untreated. I never reached the point of having social anxiety, but I find job hunting and having conversations about career and life goals distressing. Who wants to be a part of a system that treats you like cattle anyway.

Solving this issue in Japan will be tough, especially how Japanese society tends to be very unkind towards people suffering from problems. Gaman suru, Genki ni nare, and Ganbatte ne can only take one so far.

1( +1 / -0 )

Aly RustomJune 23 02:37 pm JST

Work from home.

0( +1 / -1 )

Japan’s ‘hikikomori’ shut-ins are getting older — and the clock is ticking. Ireland, UK, COVID is not rolling out something similar to ‘hikomori’ … fears of the socially withdrawn. Do you know of someone like this. There is no advising them, helping them. What can we do?