Japanese Man Born In 1984 Identifies As 28-Year-Old, Is ‘Trans-Age’ Due To Societal Pressures

Japanese Trans-Age Man Born In 1984 Identifies As A 28-Year-Old

Age can be a touchy subject for some, so it’s not uncommon for someone to not want to reveal their true age.

However, a Japanese man seems to have taken that to the next level. Even though he was born in 1984, he is apparently “trans-age” and identifies as a 28-year-old.

The man said that he does not wish to conform to societal expectations that come with his true age.

A professional on the show also added that it is not uncommon in Japan’s society nowadays for people to feel a dissonance between their physical age and their mental age.

Japanese trans-age man was born 39 years ago

Jackie, who lives in Kyoto, Japan, shared his story on an AMEBA Prime reality show.

Although he introduces himself as a 28-year-old, he was born on 5 Jan 1984.

If that does not compute, that is because he claims to be “trans-age”, despite really being 39 years old.

Trans-age is apparently when a person identifies as an age that corresponds with their mentality rather than when they were born.

Incident at work prompted him to reconsider his age

As it turns out, an incident at work seven years prior prompted the change.

He felt stressed out after his employer back then allegedly berated him, asking, “How can you not know how to do this at your age?”

Since that incident, the man has been telling people that he is 28 years old.

“I still wanted to stay young, but knowledge and experience are important to me as well. So, I feel that 28 is an age where I can be both an adult and a youth,” said the man.

However, he still has to write his real age on official documents and forms, which he does reluctantly.

“Right now, it feels like I am going against what I truly feel, but I conform because that is what’s legally required,” he explained.

“I think if we can come to a place of acceptance and allow people to make their own choices, we would be a more accepting society.”

Phenomenon reportedly not uncommon in Japanese society

Dr Takashi Sugiyama, a psychologist and a professor at Kanagawa University, gave his two cents on this phenomenon.

He explained to viewers that people like Jackie are not uncommon in today’s day and age.

“There are people in their 40s who feel like their mental state and how they perceive the world at large is more of a 15-year-old’s. Surprisingly, there are many people like that.”

As modern society places a heavy focus on one’s age, people may feel a dissonance between expectations for someone at their age and what they truly feel.

Jackie’s experience hence highlights this dissonance, said Dr Sugiyama.

He added that trans-age individuals, such as Jackie, will thus shape their ideas of self based on this dissonance and how they view themselves.

Also Read: 98-Year-Old Completes 5km US Race In Under 1 Hour, Proves Age Is Just A Number

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Featured image adapted from AMEBA Prime on YouTube.