[Nyororin]

I personally think that a lot of it has to do with difference. A lot of people feel unhappy with their place in life (particularly when young and without real freedom to do what they want) and blame this on their surroundings... Surroundings move up to country and culture - and develops into a belief that the root of unhappiness lies in where they are instead of personal life experiences, life choices, etc.

Japan is immeasurably different, but yet still within a sort of "safety zone" - ie. it is not a dangerous place, it is a first world country with modern technology, it is well known, etc. Link this in to it being the home of something enjoyed - such as anime, manga, etc - and not only does it come to look like the solution to life`s woes, but also somewhere offering the freedom to do all those things that they find enjoyable.

I think a lot of this putters out when older not because of disillusionment about Japan, but more because of the addition of experience in real life. Living on your own can very quickly change your perspective on life. Instead of it being oppressive parents and figures of authority, it is your own abilities that shape your path in life. I think the realization that even in another country, you are still going to have to be the one to feed, clothe, and provide shelter for yourself cuts down on the desire to just up and move to an unknown place. When younger, even if those things do come to mind, it is nearly impossible to know the reality while being supported by someone else.

Quite a long time ago, I had several people (all high school age, and one at a time) come to stay with me because they wanted desperately to move to Japan. The shock of not suddenly being completely free to do anything they wanted, to not have freedom from any and all responsibilities, to still have the same stresses and worries, etc, seemed to come as a MUCH larger shock to them than anything to do with Japan itself. Japan had, somewhere along the line, turned into the embodiment of everything they didn`t have at home. The reality of it being another place with responsibilities and rules, and that just being here didn`t remove the stresses and unhappiness they felt for some aspect of life was the biggest shock.