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Big in Japan: Why Japan leads the world in suicide
Before you read any further, please adhere to the following warning:
Although it's the Holiday season, this post most likely is going to depress the hell out of you, especially if you're living in Japan.
Are you still with me? Alright then, but don't say that I didn't warn you.
This week, the Japanese government announced that the number of suicides in the countr
y topped 30,000 for the ninth straight year in a row. Clearly, this was one record that they were not happy to achieve.
At the press conference, Chief Cabinet Secretary Nobutaka Machimura said that a combination of economic hardships and job stress were the leading factors behind the high suicide rate.
Although the government said that employers were obliged to treat depression at the workplace, they are also proposing a range of measures including raising society's awareness of depression and promoting mental health programs.
In fact, the government hopes that by the year 2016, they will have succeeded in cutting the number of suicides by 20 percent. "This is a problem that needs to be dealt with comprehensively by society," Machimura told reporters.
Gallery: Japanese Fashion
The raw data on suicides is, to say the least, all together depressing.
According to government projections, 32,155 people killed themselves last year, which was a decrease of 397 from the previous year.
However, according to data released by the World Health Organization (WHO), Japan's suicide r
ate remains the ninth-highest in the world.
(In case you were wondering, Lithuania had the highest suicide rate, followed by Belarus and Russia. And, for the record, the United States ranked No. 43 in the report).
So why exactly do so many people in Japan kill themselves?
Although it's difficult to objectively measure quality of life, Machimura believes that Japanese people are strongly impacted by financial pressures and job stress.
"Suicide rates tend to rise when there is a recession and long working hours may also have an influence" said Machimura.
However, despite the monumental task ahead, Machimura is convinced that the government can effectively reduce suicide rates. "Suicide can be prevented. A sickness of the heart is a sickness, therefore it can be cured."
Gallery: Japanese Food
Government findings also indicated that the highest rates of suicide were in the northern prefecture of Akita. The report also found that men are more likely to commit suicide than women, and that Monday wa
s the most popular day for ending one's life as opposed to a Saturday or holiday.
In regards to methodology, the most common method of suicide chosen by Japanese people is hanging, while young people prefer to asphyxiate themselves on the carbon monoxide from charcoal burners.
The report also highlighted the sad reality that Tokyo train services are frequently halted by people jumping on the tracks.
As I said, today's post was anything but shiny and happy, though hopefully everyone reading this can take a moment to appreciate the value of their lives, and head into the weekend with a smile their face.
On that note, please do smile - sometimes it truly is the best medicine!
Filed under: Asia, Japan, Big in Japan
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Holly Nov 23rd 2007 4:54PM
Really, really sad. Japan actually made a movie about suicide called Suicide Club. It comes off of a thriller but really makes you aware of their suicide issues.
wheatshelf Nov 24th 2007 4:39PM
crappy muslim or communist country? c'mon man, your stereotypes are ridiculous. otherwise, the japanese have a deep suicidal history. the buddhist philosophy of reincarnation may be a factor as well.
wheatshelf Nov 24th 2007 4:41PM
crappy muslim or communist country? c'mon man, your stereotypes are ridiculous. otherwise, the japanese have a deep suicidal history.
Johnny_the_Future Nov 25th 2007 1:45PM
Wow buddy, you're pretty ignorant. Kamikaze pilots were forced into the position of flying those planes, and faced larger repercussions if they returned alive. In addition, the mentality during WWII for the Japanese was largely one that death was more honorable than surrender. Suicides these days mostly result from overwork, and like Matthew said, the pressures that stem from it.
And by the way "crappy Muslim or Communist country"? It's a sad thing that the internet allows bigots like you to be anonymous.
Mike Hunt Nov 26th 2007 3:13PM
I thought they just led the world at being pushy rude and arrogant,maybe they cant stand themselves !
ARRELL Nov 26th 2007 3:26PM
The nation has a cultural history of suicide over dishonor. If a person feels that he or she has failed in some way, they will consider suicide as an honorable alternative to living with that failure. Monday would tie in to a job related failure because that is the begining of a work week. If you are faced with a failed prior week and have to go to face that failure on monday that is the day you would comit suicide rather than face the issue of failed production or lost job, etc. As for the muslim comment, They don't prefer to commit suicide unless they can kill some body else at the same time. They have bastardized the term matryr to serve their religious jehadist sects...
Mike Hunt Nov 26th 2007 3:29PM
Maybe its from all the mercury from eating everything in the ocean !
You are a loser Nov 26th 2007 5:44PM
Hey Mike, what about you eating everything that walks on land? What about the risks there that could prove to be more dangerous than a little bit of mercury? For the love of decency, can't we post politcally correct messages on the web?
Furio Nov 26th 2007 4:36PM
That is depressing. I do hope for the sake of the Japanese people that the suicide rate does not equal or be higher than their birth rate.
Tammie Nahku Nov 26th 2007 4:49PM
I THINK THAT IT'S SAD NO MATTER WHO KILLS THEMSELVES. AND YOU KNOW HOW IT BREAKS GOD'S HEART. HE NEVER MEANT FOR THESE PEOPLE TO DIE LIKE THIS. HE HAS SOMETHING GREAT IN MIND FOR EACH AND EVERYONE OF US. NOT JUST THE AMERICANS. WE ALL BREATH AND LOVE AND HATE. THERE'S NO HAPPY MEDIUM HERE. EVERYONE JUST NEEDS TO HAVE A HEART. LOVE SOMEONE TODAY.
Bree Nov 26th 2007 8:10PM
God doesn't exist so they can kill themselves all they wanna, if they wanna die I say let them.
JOHN Nov 26th 2007 4:58PM
ITS THE WAY THEY HAVE ALWAYS LIVED THEIR LIVES. ONE FOR ALL, NONE FOR ONE. THE VALUE OF PERSONAL LIFE AMOUNG ASIANS IS EXTREMELY LOW. PRODUCTION, PRODUCTION. IF YOU THINK ITS HARD TO GET A JOB HERE, ONE JOB THEIR CAN DRAW THOUSANDS. ONE MISTAKE IN YOUR JOB IS NOT FORGIVEN, HONOR ABOVE ALL WHICH LEDS TO DEATH. THEY HAVE TO CHANGE THEIR ATTITUDES TOWARD LIFE AND WORK. MAY GODS PEACE BE WITH THEM THAT HAVE PASSED ON.
thirdye Nov 26th 2007 5:13PM
Surprised? You lepers are clueless. Look, seek Africa for all the solutions to your pathetic lots' problems and you will experience the peace your forefathers felt after we Nubians liberated them out of the caves of Europe.
p.s. your tiny brain can not even fathom the concept of what a Muslim represents. Oh, and there is another group of lost people killing themselves. The G.I.'s who return home after committing murder of Muslims in the Lands Of God.
James Nov 26th 2007 5:59PM
the government is never going to solve the suicide problem unless they involve God in their solution.
Stanley Nov 26th 2007 6:05PM
Yes, it would be nice if the "crappy Muslims" would all off themselves, and who cares what "Muslims" or "Nubians" represent. All organized religions are an effort to turn people into unthinking robots, and anyone who can actually believe there is some huge, invisible being looking down on us as if we were trained ants deserves to live a life as a trained ant. There is a God, but he does not get up early and go to church on Sunday. In fact, he sleeps late every day.
torashi Nov 26th 2007 6:08PM
This is horribly sad. Not only is the suicide rate so high in Japan, but they are actually have the highest rate for suicides in the age catagory of 17 or younger. The academic system over there is just so intense that kids kill themselves over bad test grades. They think that because they cannot get into the level of school that they were hoping for that their life is over. This is not just teenagers, but elementry school students as well. Something needs to be done when a 7 year old kills themself over a 'C' on a math test!
um...no one Nov 26th 2007 6:10PM
that wasnt depressing at all
DMK Nov 26th 2007 6:20PM
Thirdye - YOUR AN IDIOT!!! How dare you!!! I hope you go back to the "lands of god".
Jolene Nov 26th 2007 6:21PM
I'm currently living in Japan, and this does not come as a surprise to me. The Japanese Goverment put's such such demand on their people to succeed that the stress level in very high.
The children here go to study hall in the mornnings, then regular school, and study hall again after school..plus go to school on Saturday. I have been on the trains at 9pm and see kids still in their school uniforms coming home.
As for the adults, the workers put in very long hours and the business world is very competitive. It is a shame that it takes a report like this to get people's attention to such event's.
Angela Nov 26th 2007 6:23PM
Most Asian countries have not traditionally considered suicide taboo, or an everlasting "embarrassment" to one's family. In many cases of suicide, it is considered honorable. Remember the Chinese toy executive who committed suicide not too long ago? Instead of the Chinese considering it a drastic and unnecessary step, they rather think the problem took care of itself. Perhaps some Asian countries are trying to change this because of the negative associations outside countries place on suicide.