1.5 million people in Japan living as social recluses, many as a result of the pandemic

7 comments

1. I understood that Japan, as a culture, had a lot of introverts that only hung out with a handful of close associates.

2. I personally understand it. Kinda overdid it with the self-isolation during the pandemic here since Europe was being hit so hard and I went full-on panic survival mode. Estranged from a lot of friends I had at the time, social skills suffered much more than I noticed in retrospect, full-time WfH for the first time in my life, and uber eats basically made it possible for me to hardly go outside anymore. Seemingly being the only white person in the neighborhood made it even worse, especially with foreigners getting so much shit on the news. I didn’t pay that much attention to people constantly looking at me before, but things got really paranoid on both ends when cases were at their highest.

   Honestly, if I hadn’t forced myself to do some serious rehabilitation, I probably still would’ve been stuck at home.

3. I wish I could. People are annoying. I’d love to be a garbage man or something where I don’t have to deal with “customers”. That way I’d still get some exercise and sunlight. Then fuck off back to my man cave to game

4. Was this really the pandemic that caused this, hikikumori were there beforehand?

5. I would probably never leave the home anymore if I wouldn‘t have a family. I can fully understand that. Most (young) people here just don‘t have a family …

6. I’ve tried researching but found little information on what does the government or local city governments do for those people who are reclusive?

   Asked a few local friends of mine and they do not know either. Sounds like the mindset is let those people do whatever as long as I get what I need. Common response among most regions of the world. But that percentage is a lot and only going to get larger due to the growing digital culture.

7. I live in Sweden and was kind of like this before, but even more now. Don’t think this is only Japan that experience this. Only do social stuff with wife and kids and very rarely other people