Social norms 'require' a person to do things according to the standards that are considered 'good' in society. Usually, in order not to be asked or discussed why someone is considered not to meet the standards of society, then the option to disappear, if there is one, may be chosen.
This is what has happened in Japan. Namely the phenomenon of Johatsu or 'evaporated people' --- people who yawn, which means the practice of eliminating oneself without leaving a trace, due to the stress that has been experienced. It could be because of the work environment or social.
The people who disappeared, decided to go somewhere and start a new life, without even telling the people closest to them.
Why Choose to Eliminate Yourself?
Takehiko Kariya, a professor of sociology of the Japanese Society at the Nissan Institute, University of Oxford, quoted from the Time page, revealed that this phenomenon could also occur in other countries.
But why does it exist in Japan? According to him, over the years the tradition in Japanese schools has supported students' creativity and expression, but the social and office environment has not changed.
For example, fresh graduates who have just worked, are 'stuck' in a hierarchy where they are not treated as well as their seniors. In addition, there is a culture of overwork in Japan and the short duration of vacation time, not to mention the unsupportive support system.
"Choosing to kill yourself, work yourself to death, or just disappear and start living again, disappearing seems like a better choice," Jake Adelstein, a veteran journalist based in Japan told Time.
Japan is known as a developed and highly disciplined country. But there is also a dark side of stress and depression in the face of reality.
In most cases, why people there do this practice could be because they are in debt, experience domestic violence, economic problems, unharmonious married life, boredom in routine traps, and so on.
The practice of Johatsu itself is known to remain 'fertile' because there are parties who support it. Namely, there is a service in charge of managing the 'escape' strategy to ensure that the client's family cannot be found, by setting a price that is not cheap.