First government survey of hikikomori

About 613,000 people aged 40 to 64 are believed to fall into the category of recluses, who hide themselves away in their homes without working, the government’s first survey on the age group showed Friday. The estimated number of recluses, known as hikikomori, in that age group is higher than those age 15 to 39. The study showed a total of 46.7 percent of recluses have lived that way for at least seven years, highlighting a trend in which older people are shutting themselves in their homes for longer periods.

Source: www.japantimes.co.jp