In Japan, there are companies that help people disappear without a trace
A unique type of business has developed in Japan called yonigeya, which translates as “night movers.” These companies offer a service that at first glance seems like something out of a movie: they help people disappear without a word in a single night. No arguments, no goodbyes—just an empty apartment waiting for unsuspecting neighbors in the morning.
The reasons why people decide to take such a radical step are often very serious. They include domestic violence, unbearable debts, feelings of shame or failure, but also pressure to meet social expectations. Some clients even ask for a false identity or a one-way ticket to a place where no one will ever find them again.
The act of disappearing has its own name in Japan – johatsu, meaning “evaporation.” These “evaporated” people often end up in neighborhoods where no one asks about their past, such as Kamagasaki. There, they can start a new life without constant reminders of their old problems.
It is estimated that more than 100,000 Japanese people decide to take this step every year. For some, it is a desperate choice, for others, an opportunity to start over. In Japan, disappearance does not have to be a mystery – sometimes it is simply a paid service.
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