As a high-income, industrialized nation; Japan is naturally gifted with a highly productive and innovative society that is world renowned for their work ethic and honesty¹. The society is also extremely methodical, rigid, and highly impervious to change. Naturally, this means that everyone is expected to be part of the workforce and should be ready to work for long working hours¹.
However, since the past 2 to 3 decades, Japan has got itself into a bizarre social epidemic; where an increasing number of Japanese citizens from varied age groups decided to stop participating in the workforce and started to self-isolate themselves in their homes for long periods of time (This could be anywhere from a few weeks to several decades) ². This strange pattern of isolation is characterized by being confined in their rooms; and surviving with the help of their loved ones; and the government benefits. A person who follows such a lifestyle is termed as ‘Hikikomori’.
‘Hikikomori’ origins
The term ‘Hikikomori’ was first coined by Dr. Tamaki Saito, the renowned psychiatrist who is known for his extensive research in the Hikikomori phenomenon³. The term ‘Hikikomori’ is loosely translated in japanese as ‘pulling inward’ or ‘being confined’. The Japan’s ‘National Research Task Force’ has defined Hikikomori as,
"The state of avoiding social engagement (e.g., education, employment, and friendships) with generally persistent withdrawal into one’s residence for at least six months as a result of various factors.”
The concept of Hikikomori has got national and international attention from Dr.Saito’s book, ‘Hikikomori: Adolescence without end’. Since then, various media platforms have started talking about it; and soon became a cultural phenomenon⁶.
Why do people become Hikikiomoris?
According to Dr. Saito, it is more of a ‘Cultural Phenomenon’; though he does agree that most Hikkimoris are prone to develop some form of psychiatric conditions in future⁴. As mentioned previously, the Japanese society is one of the most hierarchical, rigid, and methodical, where people in the workforce should abide by strict customs and traditions. This is the reason for the excruciating long working hours of the Japanese salaryman. However, not everyone is cut out for this type of work culture¹.
The sekentei, a person’s reputation in the community and the pressure he or she feels to impress others, is an integral part of the Japanese society. The longer hikikomori remains apart from society, the more aware they become of their social failure². They lose whatever self-esteem and confidence they had and the prospect of leaving home becomes ever more terrifying. Eventually, they decide to confine themselves within their rooms and stop any form of communication with the outside world².
Perception of ‘Hikikomori’ in Japan
The Hikikomori lifestyle has a mixed response from the Japanese society; where most people criticize them for surviving on the government’s benefits, while others are much more empathetic, and certain sections of the entertainment industry, especially the Anime and Manga Industry, even created a niche market for them.
The Japanese Anime and Manga industry, which enjoys popularity across the globe, is generally perceived to be sympathetic to the Hikikomori community⁵. Some of the most popular manga protagonists are shut-in or Hikikomoris; who typically attract girls and also acquire superpowers. Infact, there is an actual sub-genre in the anime called ‘Isekai’ where the main protagonist, who is typically a hikikomori, or a lonely salaried person, gets transferred to a virtual or an alternate world, acquires some superpowers, and becomes an overpowered protagonist⁵.
The anime industry is sympathetic to Hikkimoris and panders to their lifestyle, as they’re some of the most loyal consumers of anime and manga. Having said that, there are several anime series that try to show a realistic perception of the Hikkikomoris. One of such shows is ‘Welcome to N.H.K’, by Tatsuhiko Takimoto, which explores the life of Sato, a 22-year-old university dropout and hikikomori who blames the ‘NHK’, a popular Japanese television broadcasting network for his miserable life⁵.
Why is this phenomenon relevant to us?
While this term was popularized in Japan, there is evidence that people from other parts of the world displayed a similar behavior³. Infact, you will notice that some of us might have traits of a Hikikomori. It’s very common to feel disconnected with the society and having the urge to live completely isolated and off the grid³.
The characteristics of a Hikikomori is not exclusive to Japan. You would definitely know someone within your friends or acquaintances showing similar behavioral traits. In fact, I had faced similar thoughts for a while.
As someone who had difficulty in making friends and struggled to fit in, I’ve often felt the urge to isolate myself and live completely off the grid; sometimes, I even contemplated dying alone. Fortunately, I’m in a much better position right now. However, I’m cognizant of the fact that not everyone is as fortunate as me. I believe this is a pertinent issue across the globe, which should be discussed more frequently with various civil society groups and government organizations to raise more awareness.
References:
- Teo, A. (2009). A New Form of Social Withdrawal in Japan: a Review of Hikikomori. International Journal Of Social Psychiatry, 56(2), 178–185. doi: 10.1177/0020764008100629
- Kremer, W., & Hammond, C. (2013). Hikikomori: Why are so many Japanese men refusing to leave their rooms?. Retrieved 7 June 2021, from https://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-23182523
- Front. Psychiatry, 09 August 2019 | https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2019.00558
- Sachiko HORIGUCHI, Hikikomori: Adolescence Without End (Shakaiteki Hikikomori: Owaranai Shishunki), Social Science Japan Journal, Volume 18, Issue 1, Winter 2015, Pages 138–141, https://doi.org/10.1093/ssjj/jyu026
- Hairston, Marc. (2010). A Cocoon with a View: Hikikomori, Otaku, and Welcome to the NHK. Mechademia. 5. 10.2307/41510970.
- Japan’s “Hikikomori” Population Could Top 10 Million. (2019). Retrieved 7 June 2021, from https://www.nippon.com/en/japan-topics/c05008/japan%E2%80%99s-hikikomori-population-could-top-10-million.html
