Japan:'Hikikomori' bedroom hermits should be regarded as national crisis

Mainichi Daily News ^ | 07/27/10

[TigerLikesRooster]

'Hikikomori' bedroom hermits should be regarded as national crisis

There are approximately 230,000 people who almost constantly shut themselves in their rooms except to go to nearby convenience stores, according to a survey conducted by the Cabinet Office. The number increases to about 700,000 if those who only go out to do something hobby-related are included.

Moreover, there are an estimated 1.55 million potential so-called 'hikikomori' who have felt like shutting themselves in their own rooms. Most of them are young people.

As the population of young people declines due to falling birthrates, the statistics have raised questions about the future of Japan.

Hikikomori are defined as those who shut themselves in their homes for at least six months but are not involved in child care or housework even though they are not sick.

Problems involving shut-ins have been pointed out over the past 15 years, but only experts and nonprofit organizations have worked on the issue, with little public support. The government has been late in responding to the situation and taken only stopgap measures. Numerous cases have ended in tragic incidents, and the situation was worsened as a result of treatment and education that lacked solid scientific foundations.

[discostu]

There’s always lots of opinions, but mostly it’s because people try to make it something it isn’t. It’s actually pretty simple: many people don’t like people, and in this modern world you can lead a pretty good life that way. It used to be that people who didn’t like people had to find a way to fake it, now you don’t have to.

Our society HAS the equivalent phenomenon, we just don’t freak out about it the way the Japanese do. There’s plenty of people in America that just plain aren’t interested in socializing unnecessarily, they stay home. The big difference is that Japanese culture has a drive to “fix” the outliers, while American culture has a drive to accept (sometimes by ignoring, somethings by embracing, largely depending on how entertaining they are) the outliers. Japanese culture sees someone that goes straight home from work without socializing with anybody as a problem and studies them, we see them as odd and then go do something else.

Because the “real” unemployment rate is mostly a made up stat that’s basically just doubling the published unemployment rate.

[AmericanInTokyo]

These guys are WEIRD.

Yep, I have seen a　few of them (where else, but in Japanese convenience stores, usually near the manga magazine racks). Almost seemingly oblivious to the world around them. If you struck up a conversation with them, such as "nice day", they might be staring into space through their thick coke-bottle glasses whilst picking their nose, and not even recognize you are talking to them, such it is as many have actual true social relations with other human beings outside of their family members. Sick. Truly into cyber existence only, in fantasy dream worlds.

[AmericanInTokyo]

correction: “many” = “few”

[TigerLikesRooster]

S. Korean equivalents of hikikomori are constantly pestered by their parents to get a job, but would rather lock themselves into cyberspace, chasing one commie conspiracy theory to another.
In a few cases, these guys got into heated shouting match with their parents, and ended up killing them. They may be passive in appearance, but are angry inside.

[Alas Babylon!]

[giotto]

And don’t forget fear of community organizers—ACORNaphobia.

[Old Grumpy]

“Igoraphobia...”

That’s a good one, too!