A Prescription for Loneliness: Overcoming the Isolation of Japan’s Middle-Aged Men www.nippon.com

“There are as many medical studies demonstrating the negative effects of loneliness as there are stars in the sky,” says communications strategist Okamoto Junko. “For example, there are results that show it can increase risk of heart disease by 29 percent, that it is as bad for health as smoking 15 cigarettes a day, and that it increases risk of Alzheimer’s by 2.1 times. Vivek Murthy, who was surgeon general in US President Barack Obama’s administration, published an article based on observations across the United States in which he stated that loneliness was the common factor in all kinds of social issues, from abuse, bullying, and poverty to alcohol and drug addiction. In 2018, Britain appointed its first minister for loneliness, leading the way in beginning efforts to tackle the problem.”