Hikikomori - Social withdrawal in Japan

It is said that at least 320 - 400 thousands households have Hikikomori people or there are 1.6 million Hikikomori people in Japan.

But at least as far as I know, few Hikikomori people and their parents use public services for them.

Suppose there are 1 million Hikikomori people in Japan. The population of Japan is about 130 million. By simple arithmetic, there are about 100 thousands Hikikomori people in Tokyo prefecture which has the largest population of all prefectures in Japan (about 13 million). Similarly, there are about 5 thousands Hikikomori people in Tottori prefecture which has the lowest population of all prefectures in Japan (about 600 thousands) So, it is estimated that there are 5 - 100 thousands Hikikomori people in every prefecture.

But I don't feel such a large number of people live in my prefecture. As I wrote earlier, I go to Hikikomori day care. But only a small number of Hikikomori people visit the day care. Although there are a few Hikikomori day care in my prefecture, I can't find thousands of Hikikomori people at the day care.

Data supports my view. According to a report by Mental Health and Welfare Center in my region, MHWC provided less than 30 cases of Hikikomori consultation in fiscal 2008 (in actual number). This suggests that small number of Hikikomori people and their parents consulted MHWC.

* MHWC is a public institution for people with mental problems, including Hikikomori. MHWCs are located in every prefecture.

I don't know whether estimate of Hikikomori people is wrong or very small proportion of Hikikomori people and their parents use public services for them.

NEET is regarded as a serious social problem in Japan as well as Hikikomori. NEET is an abbreviation for young people Not in Education, Employment or Training, but excludes people who look for jobs. NEET includes Hikikomori people.

Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, a cabinet level ministry of the Japanese government, took measures to encourage NEET to integrate in society. It established Youth Support Station and Youth Independence Camp and entrust the general management of the facilities to Japan Productivity Center, a NPO.

Youth Support Station provides various programs for NEET and their parents to support for the vocational independence of NEET, such as consulting, career experience program, etc. In addition to Japan Productivity Center, Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare entrust local management of the facilities to various kinds of organizations, especially NPO. There were 25 Youth Support Stations in Japan in fiscal 2006. The number of the Stations increased, and there were 92 Stations in fiscal 2009.

Youth Independent Camp provides three-month training camp to NEET. The aim of the camp is to develop the basic abilities to be independent and restore their confidence that they can work. Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare also entrust local management of the facilities to various kinds of organizations, especially NPO. There are 27 Youth Independent Camps in Japan in fiscal 2009.

As NEET includes Hikikomori people, these facilities are also aimed at Hikikomori people.

At least as far as I know, many people who help Hikikomori people to achieve economic and social independence say "Don't rush to start working."

I think what they meant to say was that if Hikikomori people who are unemployed for a long time rush to start working, they tend to fail, and at worst, their conditions worsen. They are not used to work. Many of them are even not used to go outside and communicate with people.

Long time ago, I saw a TV program about Hikikomori. In the program, Tamaki Saito, a psychiatrist, answered a question from Hikikomori people in early twenties who want to work early because it's difficult for aged 25 or over to land a job in Japan. Saito said it's better to experience social interaction at first in places for Hikikomori people such as Hikikomori daycare. In a recent report, Saito uses a metaphor "Before Hikikomori people begin to swim in the sea or river soon, they should train themselves in safer pool over and over again" to emphasizes the necessity of participating in places for Hikikmori people.

In addition, one person who help Hikikomori people to achieve economic and social independence taught me that some Hikikomori people have mental disorder. According to her, in that cases, they should get medical help at first.

But in reality, the longer people are unemployed, the more difficult they land jobs. I guess that's why some (or many?) Hikikomori people rush to start working. And some Hikikomori people may be not able to afford to prepare for working for a long time for some reason (e.g. economic reason).

I guess some Hikikomori people have the possibility of landing a job without stopping once. In fact, I know such a man. So, I think it's a way to work soon after Hikikomori people decide to do so.

There is a stereotype among Japanese that most Hikikomori people are immersed in the Internet. But I doubt it.

I've met many Hikikomori people. But as far I'm concerned, I don't know such people very much. Certainly some Hikikomori people (including me) are immersed in the Internet. But many of them don't.

A recent research supports it. Tamaki Saito, a Japanese psychiatrist, and others researched 67 cases of Hikikomori patients who visited Sofukai Sasaki Hospital from January 2001 to November 2007. According to the research, 4.1 percent of patients "are deeply immersed in the Internet", 18.4 percent "frequently use the Internet", 51.0 percent "sometimes use the Internet" 26.5 percent "don't use the Internet." (Saito et al., 2009)

But on the other hand, one research showed that more than half of high school and junior high school Hikikomori students are addicted to Internet games (Wada, 2003). I don't know the research in detail, but it's almost certain that this finding contradict Saito's one.

* * * * * * * * * *

Some Japanese people say that parents of Hikikomori people should destroy their sons or daughters' PCs when they become Hikikomori. They seem to think that most Hikikomori people are immersed in the Internet and they can't help going outside if someone destroy their PCs.

But I question that considering Saito's research. In addition, according to a research, some Hikikomori people go outside where they don't need to interact with people (Sakai et al., 2007). But as Wada found out, if many Hikikomori people are addicted to Internet games, that may be effective.

On the other hand, I worry about digital divide if their PCs are really destroyed.
In Japan even preschool children use the Internet now. Hikikomori people who don't use the Internet can't get enough information as people use the Internet.

[References]

Saito, T., Sasaki, H., Miyamoto, K., Handa, S., & Matsuki, S. (2009). Kouki shishunki / souki seijinki no Hikikomori ni taisuru seishin igakuteki chiryou / enjo ni kansuru kenkyu. Shisyunki no hikikomori wo motarasu seishinka shikkan no jittai haaku to seishinnigakuteki chiryou enjo system no kouchiku nikansuru kenkyu, 161-175.

Sakai, M., Nakagaito, M., & Hikikomori KHJ Parents Association. (2007). "Hikikomori" no jittai ni kansuru chousa houkokusyo 4 -NPO houjin zenkoku Hikikomori KHJ oyanokai niokeru jittai- Retrieved 3 September 2009 from http://www3.pref.okinawa.jp/site/contents/attach/12185/hikikomori.pdf

Wada, K. (23 June 2006). Net game ni hansuu ijou ga izon / Hikikomori chukousei ra /
minkan kenkyuujo chosa. Mainichi shinbun. Retrieved 12 August 2003 from http://www.mainichi.co.jp/digital/coverstory/archive/200306/23/1.html

The Japanese parliament enacted a law July 1 to prepare a support system for NEET, Hikikomori and children and young people who have a difficulty organizing their social lives.

The name of the law is "Kodomo Wakamono Ikusei Shien Suishin Hou." In English, "Act on Promotion of Development and Support for Children and Young People." (translated by me :-p)

According to the Cabinet Office, this law has two objectives: (1) prepare a framework for totally promoting measures to support the development of children and youth, and (2) prepare networks to support children and young people who have a difficulty organizing their social lives.

Before the law was enacted, the bill aimed to prepare a support system for only NEET and Hikikomori people. But parliament amended the bill and expanded objects of support. The enacted law is for children and young people who have a difficulty organizing their social lives as well as NEET and Hikikomori people, as I wrote earlier. According to minutes of parliament, "children and young people who have a difficulty organizing their social lives" include children and young people who have various problems such as "school refusal and bullying in compulsory education schools and eating disorder" and "mild developmental disorder." I guess such children and young people have higher risks of becoming NEET and Hikikomori.

Japanese people don't necessarily have drivers' license. People in urban areas are more likely not to have license, because urban areas have convenient public transportation systems.

But in general, many Japanese young people get drivers' license about the age of 18-19. People over 18 is eligible to get license.

But if such young people shut themselves in their homes, they fail to get drivers' license. They reach 20's without getting license.

As I wrote earlier, I go to Hikikomori day care. I saw some Hikikomori people trying to go to driving school while they went to the day care. Car is necessary to us, because we live in regional area where public transportation system isn't well developed. Without car, we can't land jobs that are required to hold drivers' license. In addition, we can't go to the workplaces that are long away from our homes. Getting license is a small step toward social participation.

* * * * * * * * * *

I got drivers' license when I was in college.

But I make it a rule to avoid driving a car. One reason for that is that I want to create an opportunity to train my body. My strength must dwindle, because I don't often go out. So, I try to walk as far as possible. Another reason is that I can't take responsibility if I cause traffic accidents. I'm jobless.

There are already many public support centers for Hikikomori people and their families all across the country. Every prefecture and major city has Mental Health and Welfare Centers and Public Health Centers. MHWC and PHC provide consultation services, Hikikomori day care, and classes for families of Hikikomori people, and so on.

In addition, Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare is to establish Hikikomori Regional Support Centers in every prefecture from April 2009 to March 2010. The aim is to discover and cope with Hikikomori problem.

I want to write an outline of HRSC but can't, because I can find few information on HRSC. As far as I know, many prefectures have not established HRSC yet.

But Shinji Asonuma, a MHLW officer, says in Upper House's Health, Labour and Welfare Committee on November 2008 that MHLW expect HRSC to strengthen the relationship between centers concerned with Hikikomori problem and, what is more important, to serve as per primam consultation services specialized in Hikikomori problem. Asonuma also says HRSC is expected to be staffed with "Hikiomori support coordinators". And HRSC is to be operated by prefectural governments and major cities. But, based on the situation in each area, it can be operated by public organizations and entrusted to private organizations.

I think I can't work. I guess many or probably most Hikikomori people also think so.

Most non-Hikikomori people may feel strange, because they think Hikikomori people can work but don't do.

If I confess I was grown up in a fatherless family, non-Hikikomori people may think Tomishige have no conscience, because he doesn't work in spite of his family's situation.

I feel there is a huge perception gap between I, a Hikikomori person, and others.

Why do they think differently? Maybe it's difficult for healthy non-Hikikomori people to understand the problem. Maybe people tend to think other people must be able to do what I'm able to do. Maybe I don't have the guts.

I feel it's a very tall order for me to go outside, look for a job and work. When I once wrote in another blog I explore possibilities of making a living from affiliate advertising, readers of my blog (non-Hikikomori people) commented it's very difficult. I also think so. But unlike readers of my blog (non-Hikikomori people), I think it's more difficult to go outside, look for a job and work.

Non-Hikikomori people may think Tomishige have no conscience, because he doesn't work in spite of his family's situation (fatherless family). But my aim in life has always been to work hard, married to a reliable spouse and support my family since childhood. I feel remorse. I worried about my family, but I can't take any action. I feel remorse.

I've seen many Hikikomori people younger than me.

They want to participate in society. But they can't for some psychological reason. They go through a psychological conflict.

It's very regrettable for society as a whole as well as them if their potential isn't developed. They may also have limitless potential. I once cared about younger Hikikomori people in Hikikomori day care who graduated from the same school as me. When they took a step toward social participation, I said to them, "You should not go around with me." That means you have a future, so you should not go around with Hikikomori people like me who can't still participate in society.

Even if they don't have much potential, many of them are good young men. I hope someone realizes their good points and help them to participate in society.

It may be odd to think such a thing, because I'm also a Hikikomori man. But if I see young Hikikomori people, I sometimes think such a thing. Maybe I tend to cherish young people. I'm getting old.

* * * * * * * * * *

I met some Hikikomori people at Hikikomori day care who graduated from the same school as me.

I had special empathy with them in spite of myself.

It may be impossible, but I sometimes thought that if I succeeded to overcome Hikikomori and become an employer in an enterprise, I wanted to lend a helping hand to them.

They stopped going Hikikomori day care long time ago for various reasons. I hope they succeeded to participate in society. If they land a job earlier than me, it's embarrassing for me. But I'm concerned for their happiness.

Even if Hikikomori people try to stop Hikikomori, It's difficult for them to work immediately. Their social skills decline during their Hikikomori days. So, it's a way to experience communication with other people in protected environment at first.

Hikikomori day care is self-support service for Hikikomori people. Many organizations provide various kinds of day care, but in general, they seem to provide opportunity to communicate with Hikikomori people each other.

Many Mental Health and Welfare Centers (a public institution for people with mental problems, including Hikikomori) provide Hikikomori day care. According to a research, 62.1 percent of MMHWC provide Hikikomori day care or group work(Harada, Kawaguchi, & Otsuka, 2008).

Private organizations, especially NPO (Non-profit organization), also provide Hikikomori day care. Sofukai Sasaki Hospital, where Tamaki Saito work, is probably the first private hospital that provides Hikikomori day care.

I go to Hikikomri day care. In addition to Hikikomori people, psychological counselors attend the Hikikomori day care. The Hikikomori day care aims providing places where Hikikomori people spend at ease. Managers of the Hikiomori day care think that participants can talk about personal problems with others who had similar problems, enjoy communicating with other Hikikomori people, develop confidence, and increase social skills at Hikikomori day care.

[References]

Harada, Y., Kawaguti, S., & Otsuka, T. (2008). Hikikomori seinen no shuro shien nikansuru kenkyu. Shisyunki no hikikomori wo motarasu seishinka shikkan no jittai haaku to seishinnigakuteki chiryou enjo system no kouchiku nikansuru kenkyu, 111-135.

[NEET]

NEET is an abbreviation for young people Not in Education, Employment or Training. NEET includes Hikikomori people.

The term is originated from the report Bridging the Gap by Social Exclusion Unit (UK). Reiko Kosugi, a Japanese educational sociologist, first uses the term in Japanese literature. In 2004 Yuji Genda, a Japanese labor economist, published a book NEET with Mie Maganuma, a free-lance reporter. Since then the term NEET has become known.

Most Japanese people know the term NEET and view it as a serious social problem. According to an estimate from the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, there are 620 thousands NEET people in 2007 (Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, 2008).

But Japanese people understand the NEET concept in different ways. Many of them understand NEET as young people who has no will to work. Some Japanese people understand NEET as Hikikomori. Others think NEET are discouraged by loose labor market from 1992 to 2005.

As I wrote earlier, MHLW estimates NEET population. It defines NEET as (i) aged 15-34 (ii) non-labor force (iii) not in education or housekeeping. But some criticize the definition. The definition includes sick people, people preparing for certification exams, women preparing for marriage, and so on.

MHLW carried out a research to grasp the actual conditions of NEET people. According to the research, about 40 percent NEET people experience school refusal. Many NEET people feel difficulty to communicate with people. About 50 percent NEET people experience being bullied, being Hikikomori, and receiving medical treatment at psychiatry or psychosomatic medicine (Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, 2007).

[School Refusal]

There are many adolescents with school refusal in Japan. According to Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, over 50 thousands high school students (about 1.6 percent of all high school students) were absent from school for school refusal in 2007 school year.

It is said some children continue to be absent from school and then become Hikikomori. Akio Kiyota (M.D.) and others summarized earlier studies on Hikikomori and showed that about 40-60 percent of Hikikomori people become shut themselves in their houses or rooms triggered by school-related causes (Kiyota, Usami, & Okuma, 2008).

[References]

Kiyota, K., Usami, M., & Okuma, H. (2008). Chiiki renkei system niyoru hikikomori shien to ekigakuteki kentou. Shisyunki no hikikomori wo motarasu seishinka shikkan no jittai haaku to seishinnigakuteki chiryou enjo system no kouchiku nikansuru kenkyu, 95-101.

Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare. (2007). A research study on actual onditions and support measures of NEET people. Retrieved March 14, 2009, from http://www.mhlw.go.jp/houdou/2007/06/h0628-1.html

Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare. (Eds.). (2008). White Paper on the Labour Economy 2008. Retrieved March 14, 2009, from http://www.mhlw.go.jp/wp/hakusyo/roudou/08/index.html

Hikikomori people shut themselves in their houses or rooms, but typical Hikikomori people aren't contented with their lives. They desire to participate in society but can't do so for some mental reason.

They are in trouble and blame themselves for not working or going to school. The most typical criticism of Hikikomori people is Hikiomori behavior is amae. But such criticism is beside the point.

Amae (Wikipedia)
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Another typical criticism of Hikikomori people is Hatarakazaru mono kuu bekarazu (If you don't work, you don't eat). But many professionals say such kind of criticism have the contrary effect on overcoming Hikikomori. They blame themselves for not working over and over again.

Some people press Hikikomori people for working on the grounds of the fact that they will not be able to live when their parents, supporters of Hikikomori people, will pass away. But similarly, I think such kind of pressure is ineffective.

* * * * * * * * * *

It's difficult to understand psychology of Hikikomori people. So, many people, including parents of Hikikomori people, misunderstand Hikikomori people and have the wrong attitude toward them. The most unfortunate result is murder. Japanese media sometimes reports murder between Hikikomori people and their parents.

On the other hand, reading writings on Hikikomori, I've been surprised that many professionals understand what Hikikomori people think and feel.

Parents of Hikikomori people don't always understand psychology of Hikikomori. But professionals who are unrelated to Hikikomori people understand it. It's odd for me.

[Definition of Hikikomori]

As I wrote earlier, Hikikomori is, in a word, social withdrawal in youth. Please see the link below for details.

http://nhjournal37.blogspot.com/2009/02/hikikomori-social-withdrawal-in-japan.html

[Hikikomori and mental illnesses]

Hikikomori is a term that represents a condition. Not a clinical entity.

The concept and diagnosis of Hikikiomori remains controversial. In a narrow sense, people with mental illnesses are excluded from Hikikomori. In a broad sense, they are included.

Famous mental illnesses comorbid with Hikikomori are depression and schizophrenia.

According to a study, almost all Hikikomori people (78/97) who visited 5 Mental Health and Welfare Centers (a public institution for people with mental problems, including Hikikomori) were diagnosed with any mental disorders (anxiety disorders, development disorders, schizophrenia). Most of the other 19 Hikikomori people who didn't visited MHWC were also suspected to have any mental disorders(Kondo, Miyazawa, Sakai, Kiyota, Kitahata, Kuroda, Kurosawa, & Miyata, 2008).

[Population]

It is said that many young Japanese shut themselves in their homes.

Saito argued, based on his clinical experience, that there are over 1 million people who withdrawal from social interaction (Saito, 1998).

Kiyota and others argued, based on previous studies on Hikikomori, that about 1-3% people have the experience of Hikikomori (Kiyota, Usami, & Okuma, 2008).

Most surveys show that most Hikikomori people are male.

But few Hikikomori people are reported in other countries. So, it is commonly believed that Hikikomori is a unique Japanese phenomenon.

[Support organization]

Hikikomori is an object of mental health welfare policy. Mental Health and Welfare Centers, Public Health Centers, etc. are in charge of helping Hikikomori people and their parents.

Other than public institutions, there are many nonprofit organizations for Hikikomori people and their parents. Representative examples are the Hikikomori KHJ Parents Association and Sodateage Net.

[References]

Kiyota, K., Usami, M., & Okuma, H. (2008). Chiiki renkei system niyoru hikikomori shien to ekigakuteki kentou. Shisyunki no hikikomori wo motarasu seishinka shikkan no jittai haaku to seishinnigakuteki chiryou enjo system no kouchiku nikansuru kenkyu, 95-101.

Kondo, N., Miyazawa, H., Sakai, M., Kiyota, Y., Kitahata, Y., Kuroda, Y., Kurosawa, M., & Miyata, R. (2008). Shisyunki hikikomori niokeru seishinnigakuteki shougai no jittai haaku nikansuru kenkyu. Shisyunki no hikikomori wo motarasu seishinka shikkan no jittai haaku to seishinnigakuteki chiryou enjo system no kouchiku nikansuru kenkyu, 49-63.

Saito, T. (1998). Shakaiteki Hikikomori. Tokyo: PHP kenkyuujyo.

This blog is about Hikikomori.

In a word, Hikikomori is a Japanese term that means social withdrawal in youth. I guess almost all Japanese people know Hikikomori and view it as a social problem.

The word Hikikomori became famous in Japan when Tamaki Saito, a Japanese psychiatrist, published a book Shakaiteki Hikikomori in 1998. According to Saito's definition, Shakaiteki Hikikomori "becomes a problem by one's late 20s, and he or she keeps indoors and failing to participate in society more than 6 months, and its main cause doesn't seem to be other mental disorders."

Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, defines Hikikomori. "he or she becomes less likely to participate in society due to various factors and fails to participate in the places except for his or her home, such as workplaces and schools for long periods."

I'm going to write my personal experiences (I'm also a Hikikomori) and personal thoughts about Hikikomori on this blog. And I'm also going to mention NEET (young people Not in Education, Employment, or Training) and school refusal. These are related to Hikikomori.

[About me]

As I wrote earlier, I'm also a Hikikomori. I'm male.

I've lived in Japan since I was born. I spend all day managing my websites, including blogs about Hikikomori (in Japanese), selective mutism, etc.

I was educated in Economics at a Japanese university.

I study English every day to read and write correctly. One purpose of writing this blog is to improve my English writing skills.

smjournal77@yahoo.co.jp

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[Related websites]

NEET Hikikomori Journal (Japanese)
http://nhjournal.blog37.fc2.com/

Selective Mutism - My Memories
http://selectivemutism-mm.blogspot.com/