In Ichinono, a small village in the south of Japan that has fewer than 60 residents, life-sized dolls have been created to combat feelings of loneliness and isolation.
In another instance, a man has been renting himself out to people feeling lonely, essentially getting paid to ‘do nothing’. The loneliness crisis in Japan has led inmates in a women’s prison to speak about why they commit crimes and compare life inside with life outside.
An 81-year-old prisoner at the largest women’s prison in Japan, Tochigi Women’s Prison, located north of Tokyo, told CNN that there are ‘very good people’ inside and has started to question whether prison life is ‘the most stable for [her]’.
After being arrested for shoplifting food, the inmate reflected that if she had ‘been financially stable’ and had ‘a comfortable lifestyle’, she ‘definitely wouldn’t have done it’.
At Tochigi Women’s Prison, inmates are provided with regular meals and free healthcare, and they are required to work in the prison’s factories.
For some, this environment, along with the opportunity to make friends, makes prison life seem more appealing than life outside.
The inmate discussed her son’s lack of support, which left her feeling as though she ‘didn’t care what happened anymore’.
She expressed: “I thought, ‘There’s no point in me living,’ and ‘I just want to die’. […] Being alone is a very difficult thing, and I feel ashamed that I ended up in this situation. I really feel that if I had a stronger will, I could have led a different life, but I’m too old to do anything about it now.”
Although she completed her sentence in October, a 51-year-old inmate stated that some women deliberately commit offenses to return to prison when they run out of money.
Prison officers have observed similar cases.
Takayoshi Shiranaga, an officer at Tochigi Women’s Prison, confirmed that some people come to the prison because it is cold, they are hungry, or they need ‘free medical treatment’.
Shiranaga added: “There are even people who say they will pay 20,000 or 30,000 yen ($130-190) a month (if they can) live here forever.”
If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, assistance is available through Mental Health America. Call or text 988 for a 24-hour crisis center or visit 988lifeline.org for web chat support. You can also contact the Crisis Text Line by texting MHA to 741741.
For those experiencing mental health issues or crisis, help is available via Mental Health America. Call or text 988 or visit 988lifeline.org for chat support. Additionally, you can reach the Crisis Text Line by texting MHA to 741741.