What can be done to stem the suicide rate in Japan, which surpasses 30,000 each year?

Wednesday 04th June, 06:15 AM JST

Latest 15 of 38 Total Comments Show All

WMD at 10:26 PM JST - 4th June

Japan is a suicide country and 30000 plus suicides a year is the "price" that they are prepared to pay to keep their strait jacket conformist emotionless society. This "problem" is endlessly talked about, but japan's leaders know that there is nothing to done about it anyway. Besides nobody cares about anybody else do they really?? Despite all the fake hand wringing.
tclh at 10:28 PM JST - 4th June

How about this?Japanese government shows leadership, gathers those unemployed people and get them to work in rural areas in Japan,in Australia,America ,Canada ,or China ...connect them to the land ,to nature,make them feel important ,useful again.That way those people may feel like to live again ,live above anything else...Just an idea,it may work.
GW at 10:42 PM JST - 4th June

It wud help tremendously if there was a better quality of life here, its pretty low, just let people take their damned holidays when they want without the stupid guilt trip they lay on each other wud be an easy place to start. There is just such little time for people to enjoy & society makes them feel guilty if they indulge.

I dont see any improvement coming the japanese simply dont want it bad enough, they are only happy as long as everyone around them is unhappy, thats why they cannot enjoy themselves, its so entrenched I am not sure if most cud even be taught how to enjoy life, it all adds up to a big bad situation, but hey thats Jpn
WhiteHawk at 07:21 AM JST - 5th June

Good points, GW.

Lay off the professional/social expectations and let people go home at night and on weekends to see their loved ones. I've seen so many Japanese people who never have time to enjoy life, so they try to compensate by buying expensive products. They wake up one day to realize they've racked up a lot of debt and still aren't happy.

It's kind of tied to the declining birthrate. Why have kids when they're expensive to raise and you never get home from work to see them?

I've never had anything but a great time when visiting Japan, but I get time to enjoy it. If I were to live in Japan, I'd have to be wealthy before I got there so I wouldn't have to work 12 hours a day and do all of my sleeping on the train.

The question isn't so much what the solutions are, as they seem to be rather obvious. It's more a matter of whether Japan will acknowledge that and actually take the necessary steps to solve the problem.
Noripinhead at 12:00 PM JST - 5th June

What can be done? In 3 words: barriers on platforms.
TheguyNextdoor at 12:16 PM JST - 5th June

Suicide is not ok. If your mother, brother, etc., commmitted suicide would you be ok, don't think so. There needs to be more outreach to trouble teens, programs at work that give those who are stressed that release when needed. There are many warning signs for those who plan on committing suicide, its everyone's problem to recognize those signs, a co-worker, friend, sibling....you must know those around you. If you can sit here and say you don't truly care about your fellow man, then you why won't you go and off yourself? I know life has its ups and downs, but to be as selfish as to kill yourself.................
TheguyNextdoor at 02:19 PM JST - 5th June

This is a portion of an article on Mainichi Daily News:

A youth training program is currently being developed for later this year, which will not only teach personal safety but also build self-confidence and self-esteem.

This is talking of "Krav Maga" ,Krav Maga in Hebrew means “contact combat.”

Programs like this are readily available, its just how do we help people get involved before its too late?
Zen_Builder at 02:22 PM JST - 5th June

Join your local chapter of the "Guardian Angels", you will even get free H2H training by accomplished guys.
thedesertfox at 03:21 PM JST - 5th June

Studies have proven that depression hits losers the hardest.
Verveine at 08:09 PM JST - 5th June

People need to breathe...japan is not a communist country but it strangles people mind...
WMD at 10:48 PM JST - 5th June

Actually maybe you could say it's surprising that the suicide rate isn't much higher considering the salaryman's "life". 12-14 hour days working days of repression and depression and all of 3 days a year holiday. Could you do it??
ca1ic0cat at 02:22 AM JST - 6th June

give people a reason to live rather than insurmountable shame....
ca1ic0cat at 02:22 AM JST - 6th June

WMD, I tried it and frankly no, I couldn't.
leonil7 at 04:12 PM JST - 20th July

really easy. things have to change, and lots of it. new religion that values human life (eg christianity)& individualism. throw out old habits and pride of 1000 yrs of culture. so what? more japanese people need to travel abroad and work outside to have a new perpective and experience. work outside is more relaxed, people & not job oriented. its not a rat race of credentials. make english a standard school subject from primary to college. japanese govt neeed to open-up policies so their people will have freedom to choose their own future.
ALAGAPPAN at 12:51 AM JST - 24th July

Many theories about 'suicide'are getting broken in the modern days. The technology improvement had made life mechanical.Suicides are no more happening at the spur of the moments.In many situations it is the outcome of longtime plan or the success of repeated attempts.The present day youth are subjected to constant and excessive stress leading to 'depression'.They do not live their life.The other side of life (enjoyment in the true sense)are not known to them.This situation is very dangerous and requires largescale scientific measures.

Many talented youngsters are to be identified and they can be trained to be the 'trainers'in educating 'enmasse' the target group viz.,those sections who are prone to the suicide impulse.

As an accredited and acknowledged trainer I do have lot more to suggest elaborately for effective handling of the issue.You may send in your requirements for a detailed discussion.

Alagappan