I wasn’t always openly snug with making such a public admission, but I’ve come to accept that it’s merely a part of who I am. And it might be part of who YOU are, as well. In particular, the present debate, over the definition of Hikikomori as a mental illness or the cultural, economical and institutional causes for it, illustrates the customary practices and attitudes deeply rooted within the paternalistic Japanese psychological health system and extensively entrenched within the Japanese consciousness. Instead, an increase of entry for the Western press has resulted in a torrent of reports tales exposing China’s …