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The Hidden Crisis of Johatsu: Understanding the Disappearance Phenomenon in Japan

The story of a young husband in Tokyo highlights a troubling phenomenon impacting many lives in Japan today. One morning, he went to work but never returned home. Initially, his wife assumed he was working late, perhaps pulling an all-nighter at the office. However, as nights turned into days, she grew increasingly concerned. When she finally contacted his company, she learned that he had been laid off a month prior—a truth he had concealed out of shame. Every morning, he donned his shirt and tie, kissed his wife goodbye, and drove in the direction of the office, though he had no job to go to. His shame led him to vanish, convinced he was unworthy of his family's love.