Hikikomori, a term used to describe people who have shut themselves out from society, is a growing problem in Japan. There are currently more hikikomoris middle-aged and above than younger ones.
According to a survey done by the Cabinet Office, there are currently about 610,000 hikikomoris aged 40-64 compared to 540,000 under 40. While hikikomori has been thought to be an issue of young people who decline to attend school, it has become apparent that the problem is even more serious among the middle-aged and above.
However, in many municipalities, government plans to assist hikikomoris are targeted at those under 39 years old. And if those in their 40s do not receive assistance to break out of this lifestyle, they may eventually die with the passing of their parents. This is because in 10 years, these people will be in their 50s and their parents in their 80s. Their parents will then be using pension payouts for the livelihood of their hikikomori children as well. And when the parents pass away, their source of income will be cut, and that’s what is called the 8050 problem.
Since 2018, there has been an increase in the case of elderly people between 40-60 years old being arrested for abandoning dead bodies of their parents. Of course they didn’t kill their parents, but they simply left their parents’ body as is after they pass away. Some of these bodies were even found lying in their futon as the deceased simply passed away while sleeping. The reasons for the abandonment of the bodies stemmed from a psychological fear of speaking with people, and so they declined to seek help.
I’ve always found the hikikomori situation intriguing in that I wonder why it is so rampant in Japan as opposed to Singapore. Is it because of the more severe kind of bullying at school in Japan? Is it because of the kindness of Japanese people in general that makes bullying more mentally traumatizing? Is it because the education system allows one to graduate with a secondary school certification without having to attend a single day of school for 9 years of their lives so it makes it easy for parents to just let their children do as they please until it’s too late? Is it because of the irresponsibility of schools to rather not have to deal with cumbersome issues that they leave them be (after all, it’s not uncommon for schools to deny the existence of bullying until the victim commits suicide)? Or is it simply because of the population difference that makes its absolute figures starker?
When I try to put it in numbers, I found that a little under 1 percent of the Japanese population are hikikomoris. In Singapore’s approximately 5.5 million population, that would make about 50,000 Singaporeans.
Seems like a possible figure, maybe?
The equivalent term in Chinese is called “啃老族“? If so, I think in SG not as severe ba. But Japan is a much closed up society that has resisted foreign opportunities for a long time- unless ours, that sometimes we think the expats have a much pleasant time here.
But I do not think that this particular group of Japanese are purposeful not wanting to gain employment, it’s more a case of “can’t”- I recently watch a NHK documentary on a term called “窮忙族“. You can read it here: https://japhub.com/?amp&c=2803
Oh no, why is the site in Chinese? Lol… I think I’d prefer to watch the documentary. I’ll see if I can find it on YouTube or something.
Of course when we look at the 25% of post-second generation of baby boomers, it’s a different case, in that they unfortunately graduated during a time of economic decline, but the remaining 75% are of different situation. I personally know people whose family members are hikikomoris. One of them is my age and he’s never ever worked a single day of his life. According to my friend, he was bullied in high school and decided to stop attending. Till today, their mother refuses to acknowledge her son is a hikikomori.
SG harder because our parents will nag our ass off and cut off our supply forcing us to go out and work mcdonalds hahaha >.<
Maybe it's their pride, like wah loaz study so hard get degree you ask me to work some arubaito for minimum wage!? Maybe i'm under-thinking this issue but a hardworking person working for 900yen per hour for 7 days a week can easily make 200K Yen a month, sure it's tough but it beats sitting at home dying.
I agree but I guess if the person is used to not doing anything for so many years, it’s hard to get them out doing something unless something drastic happens. It doesn’t help if the family members lets them be. The good thing is, there are support groups around to help some of these people. The saying goes, you can bring a horse to water but you can’t make the horse drink it, but for many of these people, there probably isn’t even someone to bring the horse to the water.