Every year, thousands of individuals disappear without a trace in Japan, leaving behind all social contact. These people are known as jouhatsu, and they find solace in places like the Kamagasaki slum in Osaka, also called Airin Chiku. This slum offers cheap housing for newcomers and provides work opportunities in manual labor to make a living. It is considered a paradise for those looking to start anew and escape from their old lives.
The term jouhatsu emerged in the 1960s when people began disappearing to avoid complicated divorce proceedings. Over time, more individuals have chosen to disappear in areas like Kamagasaki to change their identities, cut off contact with family and friends, and live hidden away from society. Japan’s privacy-centric culture allows these individuals to go unnoticed by law enforcement and family members searching for them.
One such person who disappeared is Masashi Tanaka, who chose to vanish after serving time for drug offenses. The Kamagasaki slum provided him with a place to start fresh and live a solitary life. Japan has seen a significant number of missing individuals each year, many of whom intentionally disappear to escape societal pressures, financial troubles or shame associated with failure.
The phenomenon of disappearances in Japan is influenced by cultural norms, gender roles and social expectations. Some individuals vanish due to debt or personal struggles highlighting the darker aspects of Japanese work culture and societal stigma. The concept of “evaporation” has led to the emergence of night moving services that help people start over in a new location discreetly. Many individuals who disappear face discrimination and societal pressure to meet expectations which can result in shame and humiliation leading some to choose
