"the withdrawn"...Japan's next horror movie

Back home, I know plenty of internet addicts: those into computer games, others always surfing the net, and so on. I don't consider them freaks or geeks, by any means! In Japan it is said that many well-wired internet folks are otaku, in other words, major freaks and geeks.

Online dating back in the West is fairly acceptable and popular and not considered dangerous, if one uses common sense! In Japan it seems only losers who have no other alternative use net-dating. It is said to be quite risky to find a partner online...the stats are there to prove it, too. Sometimes high school kids used a girl as bait in order to extort money from some vulnerable man. En-ko (enjo kosai, euphemism for teenage prostitution) is said to occur via internet or through cell phone solicitation. (Mixi is the Japanese equivalent to MySpace back home)

The scariest part of it all is hikkikomori, the withdrawn...meaning social hermits. The numbers are increasing by the year. One of my former student's brother was a NEET and hermit...claiming he was studying to get into law school, something he had not succeeded at doing in at least 3 years. Such people avoid going out during the daytime (and avoid going out, PERIOD) and are often very socially awkward. I don't know why they become like that - speculation says such people are a result of: bullying, child abuse, broken family, being spoiled by wealthy parents, lack of objective in life...and so on.

I thought most such people were single and living with their parents...not always the case. My friend Y. has a friend who turned hermit a few years back...her friend is married and has not left the house in ages. Her husband buys food at the convenience store every night to bring back to his wife. I have many psychologist friends who also highlighted this worsening social problem in Japan. How does one get a snail out of its shell, anyway? Most trauma victims get help but in order to do so, they need to get out of the house to start with...eeks. Telephone counselling? Problem is, such people are often paranoid of others and change psychologists at the drop of a hat... Maybe in a few years we will see a new development in this social trend...hmm.

"For my parents' sake, I suppose I should get a job. But I've been saying that to myself for years now. The fact is, I'm fed and clothed whether I work or not." Hiroshi, 33, one of Japan's estimated 640,000 to 850,000 NEETs (not in education, employment or training), who live with their parents. (Spa!)