The Loneliness Epidemic: Hikikomori and Isolation in Japan

Nearly 1.5 million people in Japan are hikikomori, or shut-ins, who have been isolated for at least six months, according to a government survey. Covid-19 has exacerbated the issue, with more than a fifth of respondents citing the pandemic as a significant factor in their reclusive lifestyle. Japan's population crisis and societal factors such as demanding work culture and patriarchal norms also contribute to the problem. The government has established support services and launched countermeasures to address loneliness and isolation, which are expected to become more serious as the number of single-person households and elderly single-person households increases in the future.