They always frame this as a Japanese thing since that is where you first hear that term but the same phenomenon can happen anywhere (they don’t call it hikikomori), like isolating themselves from society, being in their own room. (The meme: “guy living in moms basement” may be the cloest analogy). Also Housing is much cheaper in Japan than in the US where it’s expensive to even rent an apartment, let alone buy a home.

Part of me thinks it’s because that it’s an easier jab for them to focus on (non-Western) countries upon discussing it on media while the same thing can happen in where they live but refuse to address it, why is that the case? Hikikomori is possible in Japan because they provide people with housing assitance. They have public housing for low income people and provide financial assistance in which one can apply.

Convenience store food like ramen are cheap, so if they can scrape together enough money for food that’s all they need to leave the house for. The same thing in the US is too distant and car dependent (you need to drive to such place) while in Japan you can easily walk up to a kobini and buy food and drinks if you reside near one. Convenience store food in America is a rip off and carries a reputation of having bad quality.