Shutting Out the Sun: How Japan Created its Own Lost Generation by Michael Zielenziger

Shutting Out the Sun was written by the American journalist Michael Zielenziger to examine several issues in modern Japan. Zielenziger examines the problem of hikikomori, a recent condition in which youth shut themselves in their rooms and avoid social interaction. He also investigates parasite singles, young women who refuse to move out of their parents' home and get married, and the Japanese obsession with brand names and labels.

This book is a very realistic book that takes modern Japanese society at face-value, unafraid to uncover potentially shameful aspects of the society. It is not an explicit treatise to Japanese values like Bushido is, but by examining Japanese society and the problems that exist within it, it is possible to understand the values that underlie the society that cause these problems.

Discussion Questions:

• In what ways do Japanese values differ from Canadian ones to result in these issues?