56 years old Hikikomori weakened death | NHK News

56 years old Hikikomori weakened death August 7 22:15

A 56-year-old man died at home at the end of last year, when the cold became more severe. Cause of death is debilitated death due to malnutrition and hypothermia. The “hikikomori” state lasted for over 30 years and was left behind at home after his parents died. Despite the concerns of the surrounding people, such as family members, neighbors, and the government, they stubbornly refused support because they wanted to do something themselves. Although the people in each position were involved with men, they could not stop the death. (Close-up Contemporary + Director Tomoko Morita)

56-year-old debilitated death

I met a man in mid-November last year. It was when I was in close contact with a person in charge of independence support in Yokosuka City to produce a documentary program.

Mr. Shinichi visited the city hall with information, saying, “There is a man who is weak and weak because of the crunch.”

Under the cold sky, Shinichi was wearing torn clothes so that the skin and abdomen were visible, and the exposed body was thin enough to lift the ribs, and his feet were also staggered.

Because I was able to see the symptoms of malnutrition, the person in charge said, “Let's go to the hospital together to rebuild our lives.”

However, Shinichi said, “I want to find the hospital myself. I want to do it with my own power.” “I will try to restore my health and get to work as soon as possible. That's what my dead father told me. “So,” he continued to refuse support.

After that, the city officials continued to persuade Shinichi with food every few days.

However, Shinichi responded to the chat, but stubbornly refused to go to the hospital.

At the end of December, one and a half months after the first encounter, Shinichi took his breath at home.

The person in charge, who was suspicious that Shinichi would not show up, checked the room with the police, and found that he was dead.

Although he was 56 years old, the cause of death was debilitating death due to malnutrition.

I want to get a job that uses English.

Why did Shinichi himself head to death? I understand that Shinichi has only one family left.

Brother Jiro (55) is a taxi driver.

When I asked for the interview, he responded, "I want you to help people who are struggling with withdrawal."

Jiro lived with his parents and his brother Shinichi, but left the house 11 years ago after his parents died.

Later, Jiro says he was married and was estranged from Shinichi.


I heard that my brother, Shinichi, was going to clean up my parents' home where I had spent my last days.

The garden of my home, where no one lived, was covered with vegetation, and ivy stretched over the building.

Inside the house, a large amount of garbage such as rice crackers and plastic bottles that Shinichi, who had not eaten a decent meal, would have eaten instead of eating.

On the other hand, pans and pans that mothers often used in the kitchen are hanging in the kitchen. The time seemed to have stopped.

The inside of the room vividly showed that when parents were healthy, there was a family business there, and then the life of Shinichi, who became alone, changed completely.

When I entered Shinichi-san's room, English textbooks with dust on the shelves of the study desk and information magazines for finding places to go to university entrance examinations were lined up.

According to his brother Jiro, Shinichi was originally sociable and joked to make his family laugh.

The change came after high school. Shinichi wanted to go to a university with an English literature department, saying, “I want to get a job using English.”

After that, I gave up on going to school and took on multiple jobs such as bookstore sales and medical office work, none of which lasted long.

Gradually there was no contact with society and I was in a state of withdrawal.

Shinichi who didn't eat, refused medical care or support, and even seemed to refuse to live. Why did you not ask for help?

He died without speaking, but a clue to know it was left in the house.

A diary written by Shinichi's father for 20 years.

Shinichi started writing his father's diary when he was in his mid 20s. It was written that a father who retired from work due to illness would spend the same time with Shinichi-san at the same house and struggled as the head of the family, "I want to manage my son who does not work."


“Shinichi, what will we do in the future? (Omitted) Saying something a little advised,“ I do n’t feel like annoying others, ”“ I do n’t want to live. ” Only a rebound will come back. ''

“After dinner, I quarreled again with Shinichi.

“The family is getting crumpled. I do n’t know how to deal with it.”

Isn't it working?

Having repeatedly condemned not working, Shinichi's relationship with his father deteriorated.

Mr. Shinichi gradually became more prominent, such as repeatedly washing his hands and checking door locks, and he started living in a reversed day and night avoiding his family. From around this time, Shinichi had been extremely restrictive.

It seems to his father that his appearance is as if he embodies "the one who does not work, cannot eat".

“Recently, Shinichi has never eaten together. Are you still worried about not working?”

“Recently, I don't eat much side dishes at meals.

Shinichi, who became stubborn every year, never tried to go to the hospital even if his family persuaded him many times.

In later years, the father suffers from terminal cancer and the mother begins to develop dementia symptoms.

The father was planning the end of his son, Shinichi.

“Leaving the family and dying is a good place to remember.” “I can still do some shopping because I can still move a little, but what will happen to my home if I ca n’t move?”

The family spilled from the support frame

Shinichi was in a state where he could no longer do anything with the power of his family.

His younger brother Jiro often asked for help from public support and visited several support organizations.

However, even if the government tried to get support, it was not possible to reach out to a case like Shinichi.

Regional Comprehensive Support Center that provides support for elderly care. Eleven years ago, Jiro-san was consulted by Mr. Jiro, “I want my mother with dementia to receive care”.

At that time, Mr. Jiro also told me that he had a younger brother.

However, only 65-year-olds are eligible for support by the center.

Older mothers are eligible, but Shinichi was not directly supported.

Chiba first thought about trying to find a way to help with Shinichi while having her mother receive nursing care.

However, the mother died before getting service. Two months later, his father died.

Chiba says that she lost everything involved with Shinichi because of the death of her supportive elderly parents.

After that, I was concerned about the remaining Shinichi, but I couldn't think of an institution that would connect these cases, and my relationship with the family was cut off.

“I wonder if it is important to connect it somewhere. However, I feel that there is still not enough space to connect.”

Still wanted to be alive Intervention barrier

Jiro lost connection with the Regional Comprehensive Support Center due to the death of his parents.

After that, he consulted with the public health center, saying, “I would like Shinichi to be admitted to the hospital and revived.”

However, a doctor who confirmed the situation of his brother, Shinichi, said that he had not reached the level that required hospitalization.

According to the Mental Health and Welfare Law, in order to protect the human rights of patients, unless there is a will of the person, there is no possibility of harming the person's life, such as doing self-harm, or harming the surroundings. You cannot be forced into hospital.

Shinichi was able to talk with a gentle personality and did not disturb others.

However, in Jiro's eyes, the older brother, Shinichi, was already in a very poor nutritional state, and although there was no direct self-harm, it seemed that he was slowly heading to death.

If he was hospitalized at that time, he could have saved his life. He says that such thoughts can not be wiped out.

“In the case of my brother, I think it was tight. I wonder if my life is about to expire. If life is first or if human rights are protected, the danger of life is imminent. If that's the case, I think that saving lives is the first step. "

Was there really no way to save Shinichi, the older brother who had fallen into the gap in administrative support?

Also, can you say that you have faced enough as a family?

Jiro is driven by deep regret.

“There was no praise from the public, no family was built, and there was not much contribution to society in terms of productivity, but from my brother's perspective, it was not worth living. I don't want to do that.

Creating an area with “someone” to reach out

Many of the people who have been interviewed so far have suffered from the negative feeling that they may not have contributed to society, such as not having a job or having children. I can't get out of there.

It ’s harder to say “I want help” than to die. That is the reality they are facing.

In this interview, many of the people who were involved with Shinichi could have been relied on at the very end if they continued to send a message that “at least someone” is concerned about " Anyone could be the “someone”.

However, in reality, there are not many people who want to become someone who goes beyond their occupation and privacy.

In such a situation, Shinichi was quiet, and at the end, he headed for “death”.

The question is whether we can create an area where there is a certain “person” to reach out and secure a place where we can speak up when in trouble.