"Hikikomori" and Japan's Role in the World

Jul 2, 2008

Michael Zielenziger discusses Japan's hikikomori, bright young people who opt to live as shut-ins because they don't fit in a society of high conformity and low entrepreneurship.

Author Michael Zielenziger (Shutting Out the Sun: How Japan Created Its Own Lost Generation) discusses the sociology of Japan's hikikomori—bright, creative people in their working years who choose to live as shut-ins because they don't fit in a society of high conformity and low entrepreneurship. He believes that stagnant governance and a values crisis are weakening Japan's competitive position in the world.

You may also like

JUN 10, 2026 Podcast

Hubris and the Fog of War: Unpacking the U.S.-Iran Conflict 

Millions of Iranians oppose their government, but that doesn't mean they want foreign bombs. Neda Bolourchi explores the ethical gray zones of this conflict.

United Nations headquarters, New York City. CREDIT: Shutterstock.com/blurAZ.

JUN 4, 2026 Article

International Humanitarian Law under Stress, Humanitarian Lives under Fire

UN Under-Secretary-General Gilles Michaud reflects on the erosion of international humanitarian law and the urgent need to restore accountability and protection for aid workers.

MAY 29, 2026 Podcast

Democracy in Retreat

Freedom House's Yana Gorokhovskaia discusses the political and ethical stakes of two decades of global freedom decline.

Not translated

This content has not yet been translated into your language. You can request a translation by clicking the button below.

Request Translation