> “In the past 20 years, the number of hikikomori who have committed a violent crime is only a few — no more than 10 cases, for sure,” said Tamaki Saito, a psyc

> “In the past 20 years, the number of hikikomori who have committed a violent crime is only a few — no more than 10 cases, for sure,” said Tamaki Saito, a psychiatrist at the University of Tsukuba, about an hour northeast of Tokyo, who is a leading expert on hikikomori. “If we compare that with the general population, I think it’s fair to conclude that hikikomori noticeably have no relation to crimes. They are a group with a low crime rate.” > Although some studies suggest that hikikomori commit acts of domestic violence at higher rates than the general population, experts say the most pressing problem is that those with the condition, like others in Japan, rarely seek help for their mental health problems. Hikikomori may be affected by schizophrenia, depression or anxiety, or they may be on the autism spectrum. This seems like a mental illness problem, of which "hikikomori" is one side effect. It may likely be exacerbated by a stronger need to conform to culture and/or societal expectations.