People in Japan die alone – level 3

26-06-2026 15:00

Japan is currently facing a severe loneliness crisis, driven by its rapidly aging population and shrinking family sizes. Nearly 30% of Japanese citizens are aged 65 or older, which makes it the oldest population in the world.

Last year, nearly 77,000 people died completely alone in their homes, a tragic situation known locally as kodokushi (lonely death). To help isolated seniors, local support networks have formed, such as delivery workers who check on elderly residents during daily yogurt deliveries. However, this crisis doesn’t just affect the elderly. Younger generations also face extreme social isolation due to intense work pressure and emotional disconnection.

The problem became so widespread that the government created a Minister of Loneliness in 2021. Today, a billion-dollar industry has emerged. It offers paid conversation partners and hotlines to help lonely people buy basic human company on demand to combat their isolation.

Difficult words: rapidly (very quickly), isolated (completely alone, separated from other people, and far away from friends or family), combat (to fight against something bad or try very hard to stop a dangerous problem from getting worse).

You can watch the video news lower on this page.

News in Levels · People in Japan die alone – level 3

What does the term kodokushi refer to, how many such deaths occurred last year, and what responses have emerged—such as local support networks, the creation of a Minister of Loneliness, and a billion-dollar industry—to combat social isolation?

LEARN 3000 WORDS with NEWS IN LEVELS

News in Levels is designed to teach you 3000 words in English. Please follow the instructions
below.

How to improve your English with News in Levels:

Test

Do the test at Test Languages.
Go to your level. Go to Level 1 if you know 1-1000 words. Go to Level 2 if you know 1000-2000 words. Go to Level 3 if you know 2000-3000 words.