Japan's middle-aged corporate warriors, who sustained the nation's postwar era of high economic growth and worked aggressively through the days of the economic bubble, are facing difficulties amid the prolonged economic slump, corporate restructuring and bankruptcies.
Some people in their 40s and 50s, however, are weathering the harsh environment by breaking away from company-based engagements and establishing relationships with peers in their local communities.
Such relationships away from the home or workplace, dubbed "hiding places for the mind," provide participants with a supportive environment where a variety of subjects can be freely discussed.