ABSTRACT

In the sixth chapter, after having related some cases of hikikomori individuals who appeared in the media, my meetings with persons struggling with acute social withdrawal are recounted. First is Mr. Ueyama Kazuki, the second person to publicly testify of his hikikomori experience in a book. My comment on his book's extract, a video-recorded interview, our correspondence, and our meetings are detailed. Then, several generations of hikikomori are evoked, examining an interview with Mr. Maruyama Yasuhiko and Miss Hayashi Kyoko; a written account collected in H. city NPO (Mr. Onishi); and a research interview with Mr. Arai, with whom I met in G. prefecture. The chapter concludes by reflecting on subjectivity and social bonds in contemporary Japan.