No. of suicides stays above 30,000 for 12th straight year in Japan

[unkosando]

The number of suicides in the nation exceeded 30,000 for a 12th straight year in 2009, with 32,753 people killing themselves last year, the National Police Agency said Tuesday.

The figure, the fifth highest in history, increased by 504, or 1.6 percent, from the previous year.

The number of men who committed suicide in 2009 was 23,406, up 575 from 2009. The number of female suicides decreased to 9,347, down 71 from the previous year.

Looking at the figure by month, the number of suicides stayed above 3,000 from March to May. In the first half of the year, the toll came close to the level of 2003, which was a record high. However, the number dropped to the 2,000 level from June. From September, the monthly numbers of suicides fell below the same period last year.

More

[Greji]

The number of suicides in the nation exceeded 30,000 for a 12th straight year in 2009, with 32,753 people killing themselves last year, the National Police Agency said Tuesday.

When you look at that figure closely, you find that it is just under 90 people a day that are off'ing themselves...

That's more train slowdowns than the old kokutetsu shuntou days.....

[unkosando]

When you look at that figure closely, you find that it is just under 90 people a day that are off'ing themselves...

That's more train slowdowns than the old kokutetsu shuntou days.....

Thinning of the herd.

I wonder how many suicides there would be if Japan wasn't so backwards about mental health care.

[tidbits]

I hope the blue led lights that JR East had installed do really help in stopping those thinking of jumping. I am no expert in psychology, but by just looking at the picture, I am afraid I might feel even more "blue" under those light, especially at night.

[BO-SENSEI]

I don't really have a problem with adults who commit suicide, its their decision, they can do what they want, if they are killing themselves because of debt or lost their job, its probably because of their own actions and are not adult enough to handle challenges like those, thus leading them to commit a selfish act like suicide. But I really have a problem with kids doing it, since most of those who do it need help from being bullied or for being excluded from something and are just not receiving any because teachers are not paying attention or a hole in the system. It really upsets me when I learn about something like that from the news or friends who have students that commit suicide.
I was talking to a guy at a bar and he said his school's excursion was canceled. I knew that the only reason they would do something like that would because of a suicide in the school and the guy was very surprised that I knew that had happened. I am not sure how I would feel if any of my students committed suicide, but it would definitely twist me up inside if there was something I knew that I could have done to have prevented it.
Unfortunately, Japan has too much of a love affair with death and that is not going to away simply because telling people that suicide is bad. And although people are pushing for further support groups and knowledge about mental health, suicide seems to be as much a part of Japanese culture as cherry blossoms and kimonos and I feel that the Japanese government and society is not doing enough to change that.

[Mulboyne]

Here

[FG Lurker]

Here

Man, the Koreans are kicking Japan's ass all over the place these days!

[maraboutslim]

there's a big list on wikipedia too: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_suicide_rate

i suppose it's the average american's grossly inflated self image that keeps the usa's numbers so low by comparison.

[Tsuru]

Hungary eh..... suicide-by-lard?