are taking measures to protect themselves from people in japan who choose to alive in isolation, unablble to cope w with the pressures they feel society imposes on them. human are social animals, say sociologists, and traditionally, life was lived in tribes or extended families. that made things like gathering food, looking after one another and surviving both easier and more likely. but over time, we became increasingly self-reliant. people are often left to fend for themselves in densely populated cities. community tends to be something that takes place only online. the result is a sharp rise in loneliness. millions of men and women cut off from society, devoid of a sense of belonging. >> ♪ alall the lonely people, whehe re do ththey come from all the lonenely people, w wheo they belong g ♪ >> one europe-wiwide study revealed that t around 30 milln europeans regularly feel lonely. that's 7% of the overall population. in japan too, many people live in total isolation for years, even decades. >> tokyo, a vibrant mega city home to 15 million people. some tokyo residents find it a challengi