The worrying undiscovered phenomenon in Japan, with 80,000 people disappearing every year

In Japan, there is a social phenomenon as silent as it is shocking: every year tens of thousands of people disappear without trace, not for crimes or kidnappings, but by their own decision.They are known as "Johatsu", a term that literally means "the evaporated."Who are the Johatsu?The Johatsu are men and women of all ages who, faced with difficult or shameful situations, choose to erase their trail and start from scratch.

Tokyo. A total of 76,020 people died alone in their homes in Japan in 2024, of which 76.4 percent were 65 years of age or older, according to data published today on Friday by the National Police Agency. By age groups, the highest number of solitary deaths in the home occurred among those aged 85 years or older (14,658), followed by those aged 75 to 79 years (12,567) and those aged 70 to 74 years (11,600). Among the elderly found dead at home, 3…