Also it's a backronym from the similar Japanese term which refers to a growing number of people there who have abandoned society and hole themselves up in their room literally never going outside.

Valid point, as well, given that part way through the article she says she's watching a guy who is working, he's just doing what would be considered frontline labor and I guess that underemployment is what's qualifying that guy as a NEET? At least that's how I understood her take, which, as we've said, is not what this acronym is supposed to mean.