Behind the Stone Walls

Cited from Michael Zielenziger, "Frustrated and disaffected, many young Japanese just abandon their homeland. Hundreds of thousands of others wander like nomads outside the rigid traditional system, refusing to work, go to school, or accept job training. Even more disturbing -- perhaps most disturbing -- is the cadre of more than one million young adults, the majority of the men, who literally shut themselves away from the sun, closing their blinds, taping shut their windows, and refusing to leave the bedroom in their homes for months or years at a time. Thus the anguish the Imperial Family discreetly confronts behind stone palace walls reflects a crisis now being visited on the wider family of Japan. "

"Frustrated and disaffected, many young Japanese just abandon their homeland. Hundreds of thousands of others wander like nomads outside the rigid traditional system, refusing to work, go to school, or accept job training." I supposed these are those who hang out in Harajuku, Shibuya and Kabuki-Cho. I am sure that there are similar people in other cities. But I would like to know are these also the kind of people that will eventually be absorbed into the Yakuza circle?

"more than one million young adults, the majority of the men, who literally shut themselves away from the sun, closing their blinds, taping shut their windows, and refusing to leave the bedroom in their homes for months or years at a time. " I believe these are the Hikikomori people that we are into much discussions these days. My professor was suggesting me to interview some of these people. Seeing an example from Michael, perhaps it is telling me that I could probably do the same here in Hong Kong.

Interestingly, Michael was using the parallel of the Imperial Family here. This will help us to develop a lot of thoughts......