Shutting Out The Sun: How Japan Created Its Own Lost Generation

The world’s second-wealthiest country, Japan, once seemed poised to overtake America. But its failure to recover from the economic collapse of the early 1990s was unprecedented, and today it confronts an array of disturbing social trends. Japan has the highest suicide rate and lowest birthrate of all industrialized countries, along with a rising incidence of untreated depression. Over one million young men withdraw into their rooms, becoming modern-day hermits, and many single women refuse to marry or have children, preferring to spend on luxury and travel. Zielenziger argues that Japan’s rigid society and fear of change hinder economic, political, and social progress, explaining the phenomenon of young men retreating and women rejecting traditional paths.