The Japanese Hikikomori Phenomenon: Acute Social Withdrawal among Young People

Abstract

Although rare in the west, in Japan and in some other advanced countries on the Asian-Pacific rim, there is a popular perception that there has been a significant increase in the numbers of young people who withdraw socially for protracted periods of time (referred to by the Japanese term 'hikikomori').This paper describes the hikikomori phenomenon in Japan, considers evidence relating to its prevalence and examines views about the causes. I argue that the tendency to think of hikikomori as a homogeneous group characterised by psychological malaise is misleading and that withdrawal and disengagement can also be linked to changing opportunity structures. The collapse of the primary labour market for young people and the growing prevalence of a precarious secondary sector has led to a situation in which traditional and deep-rooted norms are undermined and young people forced to find new ways of navigating transitions within a highly pressured and rigid system. Under these circumstances, acute withdrawal often represents an anomic response to a situation where tradition no longer provides adequate clues to appropriate behaviour rather than as a malaise reducible to individual psychologies.

Youth social withdrawal behavior (hikikomori): A systematic review of qualitative and quantitative studies

“…A less representative study by Lee et al (2013) suggested that 2.3% of high school students had been found to experience the state of social withdrawal in Korea. Nevertheless, cross-cultural studies are difficult to conduct, and reliable data for understanding youth social withdrawal and its impact on societies are scarce (Furlong, 2008). One of the major barriers to study this phenomenon is the heterogeneity of youth social withdrawal since youths can withdraw in different ways with different reasons, and there is no consensus on the definition or diagnostic criteria for youth social withdrawal in this field of study (Furlong, 2008;Lee et al, 2013;Wong, 2009).…”

A New Form of Social Withdrawal in Japan: a Review of Hikikomori

“…( Saito, 1998 ) Sociologists add that factors like Japan's economic destabilization and fundamental changes in the labor market resulting in irregular employment opportunities may also be a major contributor to the emergence of the phenomenon. ( Furlong, 2008 ) Disrupted family dynamics has also been attributed to the development of hikikomori. In a community study of the parents of 50 cases of hikikomori, family dynamics were assessed with the Family Asssessment Device (FAD).…”

“…Recently, a sociologic review of the topic appeared. ( Furlong, 2008 ) Nonetheless, hikikomori has never been reviewed by psychiatric or psychologist professionals in the English medical literature.…”

“…( Watts, 2002 ) Perhaps the most rigorous estimate, based on extrapolation of a population-based survey of over 1,600 families in 2002, is of 410,000. ( Furlong, 2008 ) As for incidence, a government study of all mental health and welfare centers across Japan showed that there were over 14,000 consultations regarding hikikomori in a one year period.…”

Monju-kun: Children’s Culture as Protest

“…This pessimistic, unheroic withdrawal differentiates him from Astro Boy and other nuclear-powered commercial characters. However, the social and economic difficulties in the current society have led to an increase of NEETs-a person who is not pursuing employment, education, or training-and hikikomori, or extreme social withdrawal (Borovoy 2008;Furlong 2008). Monju-kun's desire to withdraw may have resonated with many young Japanese people.…”