In Japan, following the coronavirus pandemic, the so-called “hikikomori” social phenomenon, when people isolate themselves from each other and maintain this state for more than six months, has become even more common. Today, 1.46 million people in the country live isolated from society.
In the recent past published survey was conducted last November among 10- to 69-year-olds. The results revealed that 21.5 percent of people between the ages of 15 and 39 have completely isolated themselves from others due to the pandemic and personal difficulties. 21.9 percent of those between the ages of 40 and 64 have been living the same way for 2-3 years – this age group preferred job loss and COVID as the reason for withdrawal.
The estimated number of hikikomori, or hikky for short, (1.46 million people) is already more than the country’s population in 2019 (1.15 million). According to Saito Tamaki, a professor at the University of Tsukuba, the number of hikky might rise to 10 million. The researcher believes that most people rely on their parents for food and shelter; however, according to him, the phenomenon cannot necessarily be traced back to mental illness. For those who “they are not useful to society or the family, they are seen as useless”, because of which families are gradually separated from society out of a sense of shame.
Meanwhile, a survey was also conducted in the United States, according to which approximately one third of the elderly have been living alone and isolated from society since the pandemic. Interestingly, however, 34% of seniors feel the same way as Hickeys, which is down from 56% in June 2020 (but still higher than 27% in 2018). However, the report points out that although the ratio has changed, the majority of older people still feel socially isolated.