and the struggle between extremes of fantasy and nightmare, ideal and real take place. But what do you see as the concerns or overriding themes of an emerging generation of Japanese artists? JW: Again, I’m not particularly qualified to talk about it. But certainly, it is the kind of attitude I like to encounter. Interestingly, David Elliott was the curator of such a show, after his experience. I envy him! How rare to have someone like him from abroad to be the director of a major museum like Mori Art Museum. KW: Well, I thought it was quite remarkable. Japan is very inward-looking and can be overly protective. And to have him as a director, I think he was there for 5 years? JW: Yes, I think he had a 5-year contract and well, it could be said that Japan has reverted to type, foreign influence is excluded and now we have more homogeneity within such an institution. Let me just read what everybody is saying here, “big generation of suicide, Hikikomori.” what is that? And Otaku, I know. KW: Hikikomori, is acute social withdrawal. JW: It is very interesting what is happening. Japan is rather dysfunctional nowadays, especially concerning young men. The neat idea of the salaryman, who gets up in a dormitory suburb, gets on to the train, and goes to town to work, is being increasingly challenged. KW: If we look at the younger generation of the artists, some you may have met, or have come into contact with