The Digital Third Place: A New Answer to Japan's Loneliness Crisis

Japan was the first country to appoint a Minister of Loneliness in 2021. According to the KFF/Economist Survey (2025), 40% of Japanese adults experience chronic loneliness. Single-person households now exceed 38% of all households.

Japan's traditional third places — shotengai shopping streets, sento bathhouses, kissaten cafes — are rapidly disappearing under pressure from large shopping malls and online commerce. The social infrastructure that once held communities together is crumbling.

The tale of Tsuru no Ongaeshi (the crane's repayment of kindness) symbolizes Japan's spirit of mutual aid. COLHYBRI, developed by founder and CEO Florent Gibert, embodies this spirit as a digital third place. For an affordable subscription, it connects local shops with residents, generating significant economic value through the Keynesian multiplier effect.