Law enacted to support reclusive youngsters

Wednesday 01st July, 02:26 PM JST

TOKYO —

The Japanese parliament enacted a law Wednesday to help young people who have withdrawn from society to stand on their own feet, approving it unanimously at a House of Councillors plenary session. The growing presence of socially withdrawn juveniles and those not in education, employment or training, dubbed NEETs, has become a social issue in recent years. Prime Minister Taro Aso called for legislation to support such people in his policy speech last September.

The law requires municipalities to set up counseling centers to give young people advice and information, and encourages the central and local governments to take measures to tackle the NEET phenomenon and campaign for creating an environment in which society as a whole supports young people. But it falls short of stipulating concrete measures, leaving them to be worked out by each municipality and the central government’s relevant ministries and agencies. Aso’s government initially submitted a bill in the name of promoting ‘‘comprehensive measures for juveniles’’ but the bill was described as promoting ‘‘support for bringing up children and youths’’ when the major ruling and opposition parties negotiated changes to it.

Kyodo

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12 Comments

Gaijinocchio at 02:43 PM JST - 1st July

But it falls short of stipulating concrete measures, leaving them to be worked out by each municipality and the central government’s relevant ministries and agencies

Soooo, this Law basically does nothing, at least, for a very very long time?
aerockyulhim at 02:45 PM JST - 1st July

Welcome to Japanese governance and their magical theoretical laws that do nothing and help no one
stirfry at 03:56 PM JST - 1st July

some of these guys are better left at home...when they leave the house its usually armed to the teeth
biglittleman at 06:11 PM JST - 1st July

Maybe the ones who designed this bill are NEETs. "For Us By Us"
moonbeams at 07:41 PM JST - 1st July

If you want to "tackle the NEET phenomenon," please look at the diet of said NEETs. There you will find fast food, junk food, and microwaved cooked preserved laden convenience store foods.

You will find a lack of enzymes found in raw, natural foods.
sharky1 at 08:44 PM JST - 1st July

A giant step in no direction.
buggerlugs at 10:40 PM JST - 1st July

Here's a thought, now I'm going outside the box here but why don't the parents actually do something, stop paying the Internet. Get rid of the game machines and put meals only on the kitchen table while the family eat. Then lock the fridge and cupboard doors so little idiot child has to come out and socialize. On a side note. These kids lock themselves in, so how in (deity of your choice) name are they going to get these kids/people/it's to go out to a centre?? Japan really is backward sometimes.
smithinjapan at 11:20 PM JST - 1st July

Do something to support, by all means, but doing everything FOR them is self-defeating.
30061015 at 11:53 PM JST - 1st July

Law enacted to support reclusive youngsters

A law made to continue supporting youngsters reclusive habits?

in which society as a whole supports young people

Yup, thats what it is.
Icewind007 at 04:48 AM JST - 2nd July

But it falls short of stipulating concrete measures, leaving them to be worked out by each municipality and the central government’s relevant ministries and agencies.

This is a plague on so many Japanese laws. What's a law that can't be enforced? Sounds like... a suggestion! We all know how much that gets people off their butts.
medievaltimes at 09:10 AM JST - 2nd July

But it falls short of stipulating concrete measures, leaving them to be worked out by each municipality and the central government’s relevant ministries and agencies.

Its nice to see some attention paid to this issue.

Having said that...lacking concrete measures is all too common in Japan. I can only image the "advice" they will give these troubled people will be nothing more than the mantra of "do your best" or "endure".

These people are mentally ill. They need real help.
saborichan at 11:39 AM JST - 2nd July

Yeah. What's more, the issue of hikkikomori withdrawn types, and the directionless of an average NEET are completely different issues! Why should they be put in the same basket? Of course, no withdrawn person wants to call a hotline for 'the socially withdrawn' if they have trouble admitting it themselves. But being unable to function in society as opposed to being unwilling to enter the corporate grind and not knowing what you want to do with your life are very different problems.