Text supplied by Tim Cole of Family Forum Japan
Japanese site: www.ffj.gr.jp
Psychologist Hattori Yuichi Describes the Japanese Family and the “Hikikomori Epidemic”
For this month’s e-letter, we would like to share FFJ Director Tim Cole’s interview with Christian psychologist Yuichi Hattori. We think you’ll find his insights very enlightening, as well as practical, in terms of reaching Japanese for Christ.
TC: Hattori San, please tell us a little about yourself, and your journey of faith to this point.
YH: Ok. I am native Japanese but finished my graduate work in psychology in Southern California in 1992. After we came back to Japan, my daughter was bullied in her local elementary school. In 2001, after much consideration, we pulled her out and moved back to California for safer schools. My wife and two daughters have lived there until the present. Her ongoing struggles with depression created an incentive for my wife to start attending church. Soon she became a believer, and I followed her in faith in 2005.
My original expertise was in the area of multiple personality disorder. In the 1990s, I became known as one of the experts in Japan, publishing three books on this unique disorder. In 2000, however, I met my first “Hikikomori” (social withdrawal syndrome) client , and came to the awareness that this was spreading like an epidemic.. In 2005, I published a new book “Hikikomori and Family Trauma,” which explained the causes, clinical features, and treatment methods of Hikikomori. With the increase of new clients, I trained two new therapists for Sayama Psychological Institute. We treat people with hikikomori at two offices in Sayama City and in Aichi Mito City. We are extremely busy, each therapist treating 5 to 8 clients a day. The social withdrawal phenomenon continues to rip at the fabric of Japanese society. I have made the study and treatment of Hikikomori my highest priority.
TC: How would you describe Hikikomori?
YH: The Japanese gov’t has defined it as a state of social withdrawal where 1) a person shuts himself at home for at least six months; 2) has
no intimate relationships, other than with family members; 3) doesn’t display symptoms of other psychotic disorders; and 4) doesn’t take partin social activities, such as school or work. In other words, it describes certain forms of self-confinement particularly common among males and females in their teens to thirties.
From my clinical experiences, the patients are characterized by 1) distrust of people, 2) a history of attachment problems, 3) impaired abilities to relate to people, and 4) a dual personality system. Experts estimate that there are 800,000 to 1,400,000 cases nation wide.
However, I have observed that the distinctive features of Hikikomori are actually more common. I estimate at least 60% of the Japanese population suffers hikikomori without full withdrawal symptoms. I recently gathered clinical data on nearly 100 cases of covert hikikomori. These data indicate many Japanese who participate in society have difficulty trusting and relating to people. I am deeply concerned about hikikomori as a national disease. People with hikikomori seem unable to mate and raise a healthy child because of their inability to relate to humans. Unless treated properly, this disorder will reduce Japan’s population.
TC: What are the main causes of Hikikomori?
YH: In simple terms, the root cause is attachment problems at early ages, which later lead to fear and distrust of people. By “attachment problems”, I mean the lack of healthy parent-child bonding. Japanese people seem to have close family relationships. But actually, many Japanese have dysfunctional parent-child relationships. Emotional neglect, absence of parental-child communication, and inhibition of a child’s self-expression are often common in traditional Japanese families.
Japanese mothers and most fathers consciously or unconsciously neglect or ignore the emotional well-being of their children (In Japanese we call this “Mushi”). For example, a young mother at church might appear to express love and attention to her toddler, when she is with other people. But at home, she may go hours or even days refusing to speak to that child. Most missionaries might find this hard to believe, but it is not uncommon in Japanese families.
As a result, a Japanese child is conditioned to not complain or express his true feelings to parents. A child’s core belief is that “I cannot trust my parents and therefore others.” The lack of secure attachment produces fear, sadness, and anger. To cover up these feelings, the child develops a dual personality – the distrustful and confused inner self (In Japanese we call Honne), and the compulsively pleasing, co-dependent outer self (we call Tatamae). All the while fear and distrust of people is present, some form of bullying or emotional abuse triggers the social withdrawal syndrome abruptly.
TC: What is the treatment for this disorder?
YH: Treatment is to help a client form new healthy attachments with a “therapist.” We don’t rely on family therapy for new attachment, since the parents themselves have attachment problems. Hikikomori seems to be an intergenerational disorder. The lack of secure attachment can be transmitted from generation to generation. The treatment goal is to resolve the fear of loving and being loved. A client eventually trusts the therapist who is authentic, affectionate, and respectful of his individuality. His job is to offer a secure base for new attachment. In training a new therapist, I always choose a Christian who truly loves people and Jesus. The two therapists of my institute are Japanese pastors faithful to God.
Treatment might take 6 months to 4 years of counseling. The patient needs an environment where he/she can safely explore inner feelings. Obviously the family situation which initially caused the disorder is not easily changed. A client recovers from fear and distrust of people, after he/she establishes an emotional bond wit the therapist.
TC: Why do you say this is a uniquely Japanese cultural disease?
YH: According to clients, many of their parents suffer covert hikikomori. Some clients attribute the fear and distrust of people to the cultural oppression of Tokugawa era. Historical records indicate the Japanese of the middle ages were rather similar in temperament to the English. But severe measures to suppress Christianity and control society during the Tokugawa Era resulted in a fearful and distrustful national temperament, where self expression almost always resulted in punishment. The fear of self-expression is true even today in neighborhoods, companies, schools, and in families. These traits are passed on from generation to generation.
TC: What are some implications of this phenomenon in trying to understand Japanese families?
YH: First of all we need to assume that the fear of self-expression starts in parent-child relationship. Many individuals are “living a lie” in their family lives, in order to avoid open conflicts. Distrust is so rampant that spouses can’t be transparent with their spouses, nor parents with children. True intimacy is very difficult in such superficial relationships (Japanese call this “wa.”) Many Japanese are unaware of their distrust of people. Instead, they unconsciously project this distrust onto outsiders, expressing it as xenophobia to foreigners.
Even in church, people will mouth the words they are supposed to say, but remain deeply suspicious of each other. Such relationships, of course, are stressful but they continue to avoid open confrontations. So even when a group of people appears to be laughing and having a good time, in reality they may be exhausted afterwards. Many Japanese know that people don’t express authentic feelings. In this situation a smile can even be a sign of anger or hatred. Therefore, they can’t afford to be absent from “the group” for fear that the others will talk about them behind their backs. This partially explains why Japanese stay so late at the office or at school. There is an unspoken understanding that if everyone leaves together, everyone will be safe. Group behaviors always protect an individual from unwanted ostracism (In Japanese we call “mura-hachibu”).
TC: If this is happening on a national scale, don’t you find yourself despairing about the future of Japan?
YH: The answer is yes and no. I believe Japanese society is headed for melt down of sorts, for denying the well-being of individuals. There are signs of societal and familial disintegration. For example, Japan’s population has decreased rapidly, due to fewer marriages and lower birth rates. Japan’s suicide rate is the highest of industrialized nations. Ijime (bullying) is rampant in schools. A quarter of middle school students reportedly have depression. Traditional families will produce more hikikomori children. It is fainful to see the collapse of the Japanese society.
TC: How can you be positive in this desperation situation?
Japanese can make a drastic change in desperate situations. History shows that such radical changes took place at the ends of the Tokugawa Era and World War II. And at those times, the Japanese people succeeded in radical change and started over on a nationwide scale. The changes were followed by a paradigm shift of cultural values. At the end of Tokugawa era, feudalism was quickly replaced by westernization. At the end of World War II, militarism was quickly replaced by democratization. Trapped in the deadlock situation, Japanese people will be ready to accept a new value system which promises Japanese a new future.
TC: What do you think are the new values?
I expect the new values to be biblical. The new values are repentance of sins, love for neighbors, following God’s rules, and forgiveness.
The Japanese problems are arising from their excessive devotion to the well-being of groups and organizations. Pursuing individual happiness has a low priority in Japanese life. Therefore, the new values are to respect individual happiness. For example, they need to admit mistakes and weakness and they will be given a chance for starting over. They need the absolute standard for right and wrong that unites people toward a common good. Japanese need to love to one another, instead of ostracizing others.
TC: Are you saying Japanese will accept Christianity on a nationwide scale?
I don’t think Japanese people will accept Jesus so quickly. But a majority of them will be attracted to Christian values. They will not survive if they continue to rely on group-centered values. In this forthcoming change, the Christian values will shape the future of Japan. In simple words, only Christ can truly heal the illnesses which plague this nation.
TC: You seem confident about the future of Japan.
I am optimistic about it. Japanese people seem to be guided by “invisible hands.” With a lot of pain and loss, the Japanese, who are not God-fearing, will move toward a better life. I think God has a plan for Japan.
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