Kodokushi (孤独死): A Multidimensional Analysis of Lonely Death in Contemporary Japan

The present study offers a multidimensional analysis of kodokushi (孤独死), or "lonely death", an increasingly widespread social and health phenomenon in contemporary Japan. Kodokushi is defined as the death of a person in solitude within his or her home, whose body remains uncovered for a prolonged period of time. This phenomenon is not simply an individual tragedy, but a symptom of profound structural transformations that are going through Japanese society. The analysis examines the historical and semantic roots of the term, outlining its evolution from a marginal problem to a national concern, particularly after the Great Hanshin Earthquake of 1995.