Jōhatsu

The *jouhatsu* disappear from their lives oftentimes to escape shame from society

Jouhatsu (Japanese: 蒸発, Hepburn: Jōhatsu, lit. "evaporation") or johatsu refers to the people in Japan who purposely vanish from their established lives without a trace.^[1] This phenomenon can be seen all over the world, such as the United States, the United Kingdom, and Germany.^[1]^[2] However, it is likely more prevalent in Japan given certain cultural factors.^[2]^[3]

Background

It has been theorized that Japan's harsh work culture in combination with the lack of familial and community support has contributed to the prevalence of jouhatsu in Japan.^[2] Furthermore, quitting a company is seen as shameful in Japanese culture.^[2] Suicide, working to death (karoshi), and becoming jouhatsu are thus potential outcomes.^[2] It can also spare the family the high costs that can be associated with suicide (e.g. debts, cleanup fees, and disruption-of-service fees in the context of platform jumpers).^[2]

Similar societal pressures have been theorized to contribute to the prevalence of hikikomori and relatively high suicide rate.^[3]

History

The term jouhatsu started being used in the 1960s.^[1] At that time, it was used in the context of people who decided to escape unhappy marriages rather than endure formal divorce proceedings.^[1]

During the 1990s, the Japanese economy crashed, leading to a spike in jouhatsu and suicide as many salarymen lost their jobs and/or accumulated debt.^[4]

Prevalence

In Japan, the topic of jouhatsu is taboo in regular conversation, like the topic of suicide.^[2] It has been estimated that 100,000 Japanese people disappear annually.^[2] However, jouhatsu may be underreported in the official numbers.^[2] In 2015, Japan's National Police Agency had registered 82,000 missing persons, and 80,000 were found by the end of the year.^[2] In comparison, that same year, Britain had 300,000 calls to report a missing person, although it has about half of the population of Japan.^[2] Furthermore, a database of missing persons does not exist in Japan.^[3]

The Missing Persons Search Support Association of Japan, a non-profit dedicated to support families of the jouhatsu, estimates hundreds of thousands of people go missing each year.^[2]

Motivation

People become jouhatsu for a number of reasons, including depression, addiction, sexual impropriety, and desire for isolation.^[2] Sometimes, it is used to escape domestic violence, gambling debt, religious cults, stalkers, employers, and difficult family situations.^[2]^[3] The shame of job loss, divorce, and even failing an exam can also motivate people to disappear.^[4]^[5] In some cases, becoming jouhatsu is a way to just have a fresh start.^[2] When they disappear, they can abandon their former residences, jobs, families, names, and even appearances.^[2]

Industry

The businesses that assist the jouhatsu are called yonige-ya, which means “fly-by-night shops”.^[2] These establishments are relatively accessible and have their own websites.^[2] One particular yonige-ya could charge between ¥50,000 ($450) and ¥300,000 ($2,600) for its services, which depend on a number of factors.^[2] These factors include: the amount of possessions, the distance, if it is a nocturnal move, if children are included, and if the client is evading debt collectors.^[2] Sometimes, people disappear on their own without the aid of yonige-ya.^[2] There are published guides that can help assist people become jouhatsu.^[2]

Detective agencies are sometimes used to find people who have become jouhatsu.^[2] Sometimes, people can be found spending time at pachinko parlors and cheap hotel rooms, and other times, they can be found to have committed suicide.^[2] San'ya, a skid row in Tokyo that previously housed thousands of day laborers, is reported to be a place of hiding for the jouhatsu.^[2] Kamagasaki in Osaka is another neighborhood that it is possible to live without an ID and so is also favored.^[4] These communities are Yakuza strongholds, since they have jobs that pay cash.^[3]^[4] Many times, especially in the setting of Japan's strict privacy laws, the jouhatsu are unable to be found.^[2]^[4] Most jouhatsu court cases are civil cases, and personal data is not easily accessed.^[4] Police will not interfere unless there is a crime or accident.^[1]

References

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e Lufkin, Bryan (3 September 2020). "The companies that help people vanish". BBC Worklife.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l ^m ⁿ ^o ^p ^q ^r ^s ^t ^u ^v ^w ^x ^y ^z Hincks, Joseph (2 May 2017). "Japan's Missing People: On the Trail of the Johatsu". Time.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e Scull, J. C. (16 June 2020). "The Johatsu: The Evaporated People of Japan". Owlcation.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f Simone, Alina (25 April 2017). "Japan's 'evaporated people' have become an obsession for this French couple". The World from PRX.
^ Mauger, Léna; Remael, Stéphane; Phalen, Brian (2016). The vanished: the "evaporated people" of Japan in stories and photographs. ISBN 978-1-5107-0826-6. OCLC 936533868.^{[page needed]}