How is loneliness in Japan?

8 comments

1. Search this sub for keywords lonely, alone, and loneliness. Keep in mind these are stories mostly from foreigners in the country. Problems about social isolation within the Japanese population are well documented online as well. I’m not lonely enough to google that for you.

2. Here are some key words to think about: isolation and atomization. Tokyo, despite it’s size and density, can make you feel extremely isolated and emotionally walled off from others around you. Though we all move as a group through city life, a pervasive feeling of atomization into an individual, unconnected unit is present. The sense of being just another drop in a huge ocean of humanity is palpable in Tokyo, and it can be quite upsetting.

3. People dying alone is a big thing. I’m sure it happens everywhere, but I’ve read a bunch of Japanese articles that go into all kinds of detail, but never one in English. It’s almost like a subgenre of magazine article.

4. Check out some documentaries on kodokushi. This is probably one of the most miserable nations on Earth.

5. In addition to kodokushi, which is certainly a big aspect with older people, you may also want to look into hikikomori, which is much more age-group agnostic, and is more focused on intentional isolation and withdrawal from society. Beyond this, you also have the rising problem of elderly crime, where the elderly are intentionally committing crimes to wind up in prison, which for many provides a kind of social safety net that they’re not getting otherwise. Homelessness would be another avenue, as some of these are also cases where they would have options, but don’t want to burden their families, so they withdraw instead. These are all of course just generalizations, but may give you a starting point at different aspects you could explore to get a more comprehensive view of the problem. In contrast to western society, I at least find it interesting that so many of the issues with isolation in Japan are voluntary.

6. aren’t we all?

7. >What implications loneliness has had in people from Japan?

   Same as anywhere. Worse health both physically and mentally and a shorter life as a result. Have you looked up the effect of loneliness on people in your own country? Compare it to Japan for a more interesting report.

8. I would say that Japanese culture emphasizes the group and prioritizes it over the individual. This can be seen throughout a Japanese person’s life. The result for those who do not fit any of the normal groups is that they are lonely. I know that this sounds simplistic but it is really more complicated than that since group identity and belonging make up so much of a person’s sense of being.

   Like other societies, Japan is losing some connectedness. People spend more time indoors or online and less time with neighbors or in their neighborhoods.

   How do you find social connectedness when you aren’t interested in pop culture or commonly accepted activities like sports or drinking? Where do you find your social network?

   Japan is one of the most difficult countries to live in as “different.” It feels like you’re trying to go up a flight of stairs alone with the whole country coming down the stairs at the same time. Sooner or later, you just don’t want to even try going up those stairs anymore.