Japan was already grappling with isolation and loneliness. The pandemic made it worse
https://edition.cnn.com/2023/04/06/asia/japan-hikikomori-study-covid-intl-hnk/index.html
It's the result I could foresee even in the spring of 2020. Then, I thought strict Covid restriction must exacerbate the downturn of Japan's economy.
By avoiding direct contact among people, more youngsters lost chances to marry, and then fertility rate has been plummeting.
And, the slogan of the Covid restriction promoted and justified staying home alone. Of course, as a result, it resulted in increase of reclusive adults.
Japan's government just seems to have poor strategies against long term social issues like this. The government should think more about what can happen a hundred of years later.
