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This heartbreaking narrative is reflective of a larger trend, as approximately 80,000 people go missing in Japan each year, a subset of whom actively choose to disappear, known as johatsu, meaning "evaporation." These individuals seem to evaporate into thin air, leaving their loved ones in anguish over their unexplained absence.
The Rise of Johatsu
Indeed, people choose to disappear in various parts of the world, but Japan is unique in having a burgeoning underground industry dedicated to facilitating such disappearances. The driving force behind this industry is known as the Night Movers—specialized moving companies that help clients relocate discreetly, often in the dead of night.