jōhatsu

thumb|The jōhatsu disappear from their lives, often to escape shame from society. or jouhatsu refers to the people in Japan who purposely vanish from their established lives without a trace. This phenomenon can be seen all over the world, such as the United States, China, South Korea, the United Kingdom, and Germany.

==Background== It has been theorized that Japan's harsh work culture in combination with the lack of familial and community support has contributed to the prevalence of jōhatsu in Japan. Furthermore, quitting a company is seen as shameful in Japanese culture. Suicide, working to death (karoshi), and becoming jōhatsu are thus potential outcomes. It can also spare the family the high costs that can be associated with suicide (e.g. debts, cleanup fees, and disruption-of-service fees in the context of platform jumpers).