After Reading Chapter 4 of “Shōnen-tachi no Shokuzai” (The Atonement of Boys) — The Hearts of Juvenile Offenders and the Meaning of “Listening” ーJuly 2, 2026 (Thursday) Reiwa 8

After reading Chapter 4, I was made to reflect on many things.

This chapter is about a boy who deeply loves his mother. His emotional world is strongly centered on her, but that relationship is shaken when she remarries. Unable to accept this change, he becomes increasingly unstable, and his feelings toward his stepfather turn into rejection and violence. Eventually, his behavior escalates, leading to his placement in a juvenile correctional facility.

Even inside the institution, his attachment to his mother remains strong. After experiencing her death, he develops a strong desire to apologize and make amends. However, he is confronted with the reality that victims refuse to receive his apology, and he comes to understand that his desire for reconciliation does not necessarily align with the healing of others.

In the end, the boy tries to move forward into a new life while still carrying unresolved feelings and questions about his past.

I was once again impressed by the depth of Dr. Aoshima’s work. Thinking about how long she has continued this kind of work makes me reflect on the heavy meaning of “listening to people’s stories.”

She must be someone who truly listens to others with great care. I feel that without her, I would not have been able to rebuild myself in many ways.

With that feeling, I read this book. Even now, when I introduce her work, I find it impossible not to convey this sense of weight and seriousness.

What left a strong impression on me in this chapter was Dr. Aoshima’s reflection that caring for children who carry such serious crimes might also make her feel as if she herself could be seen as part of the system of harm.

That question is extremely heavy. I also feel that it may be true.

Even so, she continues this work. I find great meaning in that fact itself.

Not all psychiatrists choose this path willingly. Many may choose different careers or more financially stable or private practices. Yet she continues to engage with this difficult field.

I feel a sense of strength in that stance after reading this chapter.

I wish to receive and reflect on these thoughts quietly, without hurting anyone, although I may not be able to express them perfectly. Still, I want to leave this as my personal record of what I received from this book.

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