Abstract

Social realities in Japan have been changing for roughly two decades and those young Japanese directly affected by the „hiring ice ages“ have become known as a „lost generation.“ the media discourse concerning this phenomenon has been diverse, putting forward a number of explanations for this dilemma, while often younger generations have been blamed for their situation. This paper critically examines the facts and discourses surrounding the emergence of the „lost generation” in the 1990s in Japan, highlighting possible alternative interpretations within the discourse.