Japan's Young Are Now Its Loneliest Generation, Overtaking The Old. Why? | Insight | Full Episode

Last November, the World Health Organisation declared loneliness a ‘Global Public Health Concern’. Meanwhile, Gen Zs are emerging as the loneliest generation ever.

Japan has a reputation as a lonely country, but here, there are more lonely people in their 20s and 30s than any other age group. An extreme expression of loneliness are the infamous “hikikomoris” – shut-ins who have isolated themselves from society. More join their ranks each year.

But apart from this group, there are millions of other youths who experience alienation and loneliness. And with it comes a slew of social ills – from greater rates of depression, to falling marriage rates, to lower productivity. Social anxiety, the suffocating rat race and cultural stigma - Insight explores what is driving solitude in the Land of the Rising Sun.

00:00 Introduction
01:20 How loneliness is growing in Japan.
06:59 Why rigid Japanese society is at the root of loneliness.
11:22 Japan’s “Department of Loneliness”?
14:15 How does Japan’s work culture lead to loneliness?
19:22 Life gets in the way of companionship.
22:59 The cost of loneliness
27:31 Hikikomori, the growing trend of social reclusiveness.
33:46 Why are Japanese youth returning to rural life?
38:04 Is community building the answer to loneliness?
43:26 Modern society may be driving up loneliness.

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ABOUT THE SHOW: Insight investigates and analyses topical issues that impact Asia and the rest of the world.
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[peteleng]

let's be honest, this is not a Japan only issue

[Anyone-ydju]

I am 35 now, have been single my whole life. I don't have close friends or any friends who care. In recent years I started solo travel and solo shopping. Eating alone and watching movies alone have been the norm. Sometimes when the feeling of loneliness hits, it's really painful.

[avidtraveller]

Thank you, narrator, for emphasizing that social media followership does not equate to friendship.
This was a HUGE issue starting with Facebook. People felt a sense of accomplishment when they shared how many people followed their page, or the theme, or their ideas but it means nothing. Social media is social distancing.

[Thejourneyishard]

As a 23 year old male i can say that Being alone is so relaxing but feeling loneliness is depressing

[tsarrite]

The irony of being in a place packed full of people but yet still being alone.
Like stranded in an Ocean, "Water, water everywhere, and not a drop to drink"

[TurboBass]

"Women in their 20's are the loneliest"
They're the only ones who are so forward about it. You think 20 year old dudes are gonna be telling anyone they are lonely? Like anyone would care? Dudes ain't sharing feelings like that, they just bury themselves in hobbies, work or worse things until they figure it out or die.

[jamless]

"If I prioritize myself, my mother will suffer." I felt that.

[simonphoenix]

I'm a fifty year old man and as I got older I became more a lone wolf who likes to do my own thing. I have zero friends now, just people I say hello to here/there, but there is no one close to discuss things with and that is how I like it. At school/college/uni I was of the popular kids but in my late 20s I'd had enough of my circle of friends as it was a fake/boring life revolving around bars/pubs and I'd had my fill, it was time to move on.

I've worked remotely for years and I do not miss the hassle of commuting nor the mind numbing office politics nonsense and people wanting to bore me stupid telling me about what they did at the weekend. I spend my free time climbing/bouldering, cycling or walking in the countryside where I can switch off from the rat race and the one up man ship that goes with it.

So to all the younger ones on here, understand that life isn't a one size fits all and that happiness isn't just having lots of friends or being a couple as I've known plenty of people in loveless relationships/marriages. Enjoy your short time on this planet (time really does fly), don't try and compete with others as it will tire you out and be aware you will evolve as an individual and your likes/dislikes will change. Spend time enjoying nature and appreciating all that is around you, be more in the moment I guess and for Gods sake put the likes of Instagram/TikTok etc to one side as it is complete and utter drivel! If you can afford it, make an effort to see different parts of the world or if that is financially not possible explore different parts of the city or country you live in and don't make an itinerary, just take a left or right and see what you find. Go and explore and allow yourself to be surprised and impressed.

[YokoshimaSTAR]

Ever since surviving 3 years of homelessness all alone, abandoned by everybody, I've grown accustomed to being my own companion, it's bittersweet... very enlightening, but with depression, the pain is somehow more excruciating than when I was homeless.

[TheTW]

I am Gen-x and I have housed my girlfriends teenage kids for the last 5 years. They are brilliant lads and I have no complaints. But their lives are spent entirely on the internet. They don't go out. None of their friends go out either. Lives are "virtual" today and it's not healthy.

[jam_]

Better to be alone than in a group that makes you feel alone

[Kandingone]

In general, this world is too much (advanced) that even gen’z cant keep up and ended up lonely..I missed the good old days (90’s below)

[Orbility]

The way I got myself out of being lonely is simple: I forced myself into uncomfortable situations where I HAD to interact with people. I've failed more times than I can count, but I've also gained some lifelong friends along the way. I'm a solitary person by nature and I enjoy being alone, but I recognize that I need socialization in order to be a functional person in society. As much as I like being alone, I don't like being an inactive person; I can't afford to be one.

Long and short of it? Get out there and do something, anything. If you fail, do it again. Don't make the same mistakes. If you fail again, keep trying. At the end of the day, you either let the darkness win or you fight back and become stronger.

[captainbear]

As someone who got backstabbed many times by friends and loved ones, I can understand why some people have trust issues and prefer to be alone. But it comes to a point where you will feel lonely at times and you wanted the human companionship. You give yourself another chance and find new friends, but soon to realise they are not your true friends. No one really cares about you. It's a harsh world out there

[ogdistavo]

After watching this video and reading the comments i feel so much better because im not the only one feeling this way. Its odd because i had tons of "friends" growing up but so many were fake and backstabbed first opportunity. Never had a gf longer than a year and my sister tried to hook me up once but i dont know how to be cool or funny. Ive found that
"nice" guys like me get trampled over so im hesitant to date which causes this perpetual loneliness! I wish all of the people in these comments could become friends and we could support and help each other. I hope everyone here no matter where youre from finds friends love and happiness.

[brandonwalters]

The people we meet are largely inauthentic, not necessarily because they're maliciously deceptive but rather because everybody is so deeply afraid of not being accepted for who they are. I've found that a huge barrier to establishing connection is an unwillingness to be vulnerable that stems from influences like social media and popular culture that teach us to compare ourselves to others and that being our innately imperfect human selves isn't acceptable. You can't connect without vulnerabiltiy, but the message we're constantly bombarded with is that opening up isn't safe. We're just as alike as we are different but instead of rejoicing in our similarities and celebrating our uniqueness, we stay afraid of each other lest we should be misunderstood.

[themangomanjuice]

As a 24 year old West African Black man myself born and raised in the United States who grew up with West African immigrant parents from Ghana, I was always quite different from most people that I knew in school so I just kept to myself for the most part. I have always been a lifelong nerd ever since I was 2 years old and I have always been obsessed with video games, everything Nintendo, anime, and manga. My half Vietnamese childhood best friend to this day ever since I was 2 and he was a baby has always been my main friend outside of my family since I am extremely close to my mother with me being a lifelong momma’s boy. I also am close to my older sister. Although I do get very lonely at times I have fully embraced being single for the rest my life until my death if that is what life has for me, because at least as a quiet person I won’t have to worry about anyone picking a fight with me over random things so I find lifelong peace in my solitude.

[aikawaayumu-ic]

I am a 50s Japanese. The japanese adults I saw when I was a child had completely different values.
Usual japanese in 1970s had friends, and liked to do something with friends and share with others. Just like Chinese people today.

Young people in Japan today have little contact with older people and little empathy. Many of them shut themselves away in a world of delusions to avoid being hurt. They are the descendants of old japanese people without a doubt and grew up in Japan, but they may not be the successors of Japanese culture and value.

[Dominus_Potatus]

Social Media is bad... like really bad.
It shows you mostly rainbow and makes you envy with others, hence disatisfied with your own life.
Always remember that people rarely shares bad moments in social media.

[bankruptWoodenSandals]

if people think its only japan, they are so wrong.