14 Years On: Man's Grief over Wife, Son Leads to Haven for Social Recluses

Rikuzentakata, Iwate Pref., March 13 (Jiji Press)-- Yoshihito Sasaki's grief over the loss of his wife and second son has given rise to a facility, established last year, that supports social recluses.

Sasaki's wife, Mikiko, then 57, and their 28-year-old son, who had shut himself in at home for years, were among those killed when a massive tsunami engulfed Rikuzentakata, Iwate Prefecture, in northeastern Japan, following a 9.0-magnitude earthquake on March 11, 2011.

Sasaki, 74, regrets having been so preoccupied by his work as an elementary school teacher that he could not spend more time with his family. To fulfill his late wife's wish of providing a safe space for those suffering from severe social withdrawal, he set up Nijikko no Ie.

Sasaki's second son, Jinya, became a recluse during his second year at junior high school. The family had moved to Kamaishi in the same prefecture after Sasaki was transferred, but Jinya was unhappy about leaving behind his school friends and extracurricular activities. Unable to cope with the change, he eventually stopped attending school.

Mikiko remained close to Jinya and helped establish a local association for parents of "hikikomori," or individuals who withdraw from society, and children experiencing chronic school absenteeism. Meanwhile, Sasaki was consumed by work, and the most he could do was listen as his wife kept him updated on their son.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]