Hikikomori Argumentative Essay

“Pain is inevitable. Suffering is optional” (Haruki Murakami). As stated in the quote, pain is imminent, people are unable to avoid the affliction. Deciding to suffer through this pain is based on their decision. In Japan, hikikomori is widely practiced. It constricts the state of mind. Hikikomori is a form of isolation that involves opposition towards social contact (Oxford Dictionaries). There are nearly two million young adults in Japan who are in this state of mind, spending most their time watching television and playing video games. This detrimental state of mind has led to many psychopathological and health issues for the people of Japan that have not yet been addressed by the government due to its deficiencies in enforcing counseling

Informing the government of hikikomori and its impacts can help be reduced if solutions are implemented such as by enforcing therapy dogs and online school.

Saito Tamaki was a therapist in Funabashi, Japan when he noticed a recurring pattern. Befuddled parents kept coming to Tamaki wondering what he could do with their apathetic and introverted children, who spent most their time shut in their bedrooms. Tamaki’s continued curiosity had led him to write a novel called Hikikomori: Adolescence without End in 1998, finding out the reason of hikikomori. Hikikomori is caused due to the peer pressure from society and family. To be a part of the Japanese society, there is a demand for uniformity. Schools in Japan are highly competitive and expect students to do well on national exams. Children as young as 12-years-old are often placed in jukus, “cram schools,” to have education on the weekends and regular school hours. Most families in Japan don’t have high expectations for their children, leading them to stay home for their entire lives. There have been many occurrences after Tamaki’s book hit shelves and sparked the interest of Japanese media. A few clinics and support services have