This item shutting out the sun how japan created its own lost generation vintage departures by michael zielenziger paperback 1700 only 7 left in stock more on the way ships from and sold by amazoncom. In shutting out the sun michael zielenziger argues that japans rigid tradition steeped society its aversion to change and its distrust of individuality and the expression of self are stifling economic revival political reform and social evolution giving a human face to the countrys malaise zielenziger explains how these constraints have driven intelligent creative young men to become modern day hermits. In this trenchant investigation michael zielenziger argues that japans tradition steeped society its aversion to change and its distrust of individuality are stifling economic revival political reform and social evolution shutting out the sun is a bold explanation of japans stagnation and its implications for the rest of the world. The worlds second wealthiest country japan once seemed poised to overtake america as the leading global economic powerhouse but the country failed to recover from the staggering economic collapse of the early 1990s today it confronts an array of disturbing social trends notably a population of more than one million hikikomori the young men who shut themselves in their rooms withdrawing . In shutting out the sun michael zielenziger argues that japans rigid tradition steeped society its aversion to change and its distrust of individuality and the expression of self are stifling