This phenomenon, known as *Johatsu* (evaporated people), involves individuals abruptly abandoning their jobs, homes, and relationships to start new lives, often to escape financial, professional, or marital pressures.
Emerging in the mid-1990s, this trend has grown to an estimated 80,000 people annually, reflecting the intense pressures and expectations within Japanese society.
The six-year documentary *Johatsu: Into Thin Air*, directed by Andreas Hartmann and Arata Mori, brought renewed public attention to this issue upon its release in July.
Sociologists explain that the desire to disappear often stems from societal pressures and the fear of judgment for failing to meet expectations, such as divorce, debt, job loss, or exam failure.
In Japanese workplace culture, quitting a job is often viewed negatively. This, combined with the demands of often dangerously long working hours, makes “evaporating” a perceived escape route for many.
While withdrawing from society, *Johatsu* are not entirely isolated. They utilize “night moving” services to relocate to undisclosed locations. These services operate discreetly, sometimes staging scenes resembling abductions, making homes appear robbed, and erasing paper trails and financial transactions.
This creates an underground economy catering to those seeking anonymity. Police rarely intervene unless there is evidence of a crime. Private investigators often represent the only hope for families of *Johatsu*, according to filmmaker Andreas Hartmann.
Professor Kimio Ito of Kyoto University's sociology department analyzes how Japanese culture, with its emphasis on family honor and social harmony, makes it difficult for many victims, especially women, to seek open support.
Before 2010, support systems were almost nonexistent. The lack of shelters, effective hotlines, and the police's treatment of *Johatsu* as a private matter further compelled many to choose disappearance. Reported domestic violence cases increased from 34,000 in 2010 to 70,000 in 2016, pushing more people into this “evaporated” state. “The *Johatsu* phenomenon reflects both personal pressures and limitations within the social system,” Ito said.
Furthermore, many Japanese prioritize honor to the extent that they would rather disappear than live with perceived shame. *Johatsu* becomes an alternative, allowing them to avoid the significant costs associated with suicide. When someone takes their own life, surviving relatives are often burdened with the deceased's debts and building or train management fees.
While the concept of *Johatsu* is not entirely foreign to Western cultures, it is arguably more easily facilitated in Japan. Hiroki Nakamori, a sociologist at Rikkyo University in Tokyo, notes that privacy is strictly protected, and no law mandates maintaining one's identity or contact with family.
*Johatsu* drains the skilled workforce, particularly among young people facing intense job pressures. They abandon not only their jobs but also the economic system. While Japan's unemployment rate is only 2.4%, work-related stress leads to approximately 2,000 burnout cases annually, according to Japan's Ministry of Labor.
According to the Japan Missing Persons Support Association, only 47% of missing persons are found within a day, and 10% never reappear.
Approximately 30% of families do not report missing persons due to shame, further exacerbating social isolation. This has created a costly private service industry, with detective fees ranging from 900 to 4,500 USD per case, yet only 20% of cases are resolved.
Ngoc Ngan (*News Au*)
