Hikikomori

Tom Jacobsen writes about a often misunderstood issue in Japan: "Millions of young men live their lives entirely on the Internet, unable to leave the house, in fear of human contact. In response to this troubled niche, an entertainment company has come up with a possible cure. Videos of girls that stare into the camera.... and occasionally say good morning...A "Hikikomori", according to Japan's Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, is "an individual who refuses to leave their parents' house, and isolates themselves away from society in their homes for a period exceeding six months". It's hard to estimate how many have fallen prey to this anti-social depression, but some estimate it at around one million in Japan alone.Avex, one of the largest independent entertainment-related subsidiaries in Japan, has managed to come up with a product for the unusual audience. They believe the "Just Looking" collection, will help those "young males who aren't used to socializing with women (...) become more accustomed to making eye contact and/or handle the fact that a sentient being sits across from them and awaits interaction." A former sufferer tells us whether he thinks it will work, and how he escaped the solitude of a hikikomori lifestyle.Despite the apparent lack of activity during the running time, the videos have been viewed hundreds of thousands of times since they were posted at the end of May. The full collection of 50 is available on Avex's website. There are a variety of models, including twins and an elderly woman."View the original post and comments here.

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