Hikikomori , an introduction.
Michael J. Dziesinski
Hikikomori , an introduction.
In the year 2000, a new social malady apparently unique to Japan came into the
pubic awareness through various news reports by media outlets in Japan. A new term,
hikikomori, was coined for this social phenomenon by Japanese psychologist Tamaki
Saito to describe a disturbing behavioral trend towards complete social withdrawal
among Japanese youths. This new social label, hikikomori, began to spread in an almost
viral fashion throughout the Japanese consciousness gaining ever-higher visibility
through media coverage associating sensational acts of violence to those suffering from
the hikikomori ‘malady’…