2 Fukushima police officers found dead in apparent suicides this week

That's.... messed up. God rest their souls.

I'm suspicious.

Either one of these Officers was MURDERED.

Police in Japan routinely use intimidation techniques and bullying to do their work. The backlash is not that easy to take. They may commit suicide but more often they do petty crime like shoplifting, or weird crime like you know what ... The system needs to be reformed.

Yoshihiro Hikiji, 52, who was Tasaki’s superior officer at the Fukushima police department, was found dead in a car in a park in Yamagata Prefecture. Police said he had apparently hanged himself.

Is it possible to "hang oneself" in a car ? Or did he hang himself first and get in his car after ?

Anyway, I feel really sorry for all the people of Fukushima. These two police officers are not the first to commit suicide. Please take note TEPCO...

Victims of a police system rotten to the core. I hope there is an independent investigation into these deaths. Rest in Peace.

"was found dead in a car in a park in Yamagata Prefecture. Police said he had apparently hanged himself."

Something does not make sense about this. Was he found dead in the car after being cut down and driven to the park and left? Did he try to hang himself then have second thoughts and commit suicide in the car at the park? Or does this story have need of editing?

In any case, rest in peace.

As unusual as this sounds, it is actually possible to hang oneself in a car, though choked to death might be more likely, especially if he used a seatbelt. Another scenario is that he might have tied one end of a cord to something outside the car and the other end around his neck and then pressed the accelerator.

I hope there is an independent investigation into these deaths.

Good one.

The stress of working in that prefecture must be daunting. TEPCO, you are to blame.

Those desperate enough to be driven to suicide are to be pitied. However, I wish they would consider how their actions will affect others. Someone close to me committed suicide 18 years ago, and even today, I still frequently remember the event with the most profound regret.

If you suspect someone is considering suicide, urge therapy.

Guys ... is it not just possible that they really are getting tired from their work, without conspiracy theories of bullying behind the scenes or the like?

Fuji TV quoted police as saying that Tasaki left a note in which he said he was exhausted from work.

My first choice would have been to quit my job....silly me

Why do people put up with bullying the first place??

Second if you are tired of your work, take some time off to cool your head down or quit the damn job and find something else to do, it shouldn't be that hard.

Do you really think that this helps your family?? Friggin cowards all of you. The world is better off without you.

And last but not least if a subordinate commits suicide then don't do the same damn thing! Get your other subordinates together and talk, strengthen them, do something so that they won't go down the cowards road and leave loved ones behind.

Condolences to the grieving families.

Why do people put up with bullying the first place??

Why does it sound like you are blaming people who are bullied instead of blaming the bullies?

Why does it sound like you are blaming people who are bullied instead of blaming the bullies?

Why is it so unpopular to suggest that people really can take actions to protect themselves? Is it better for people to just be told its the bully's fault and then pray for karma to come do something about it?

You don't kill yourself because you're knackered... that's just crazy. I feel sorry that the man felt he had to kill himself, but seriously, of all the reasons to kill yourself, this is just daft.

RIP guys.

Why is it so unpopular to suggest that people really can take actions to protect themselves? Is it better for people to just be told its the bully's fault and then pray for karma to come do something about it?

Like what? Even with a school bully, who is equal in the official pecking order, ways to deal with him are limited. If the bully is your boss, your options are even more limited. Sure, you can quit ... but remember, in this case they are 50+. Not so easy to start over especially when they've gotten themselves a modicum of status.

Take time off? Even today, Japan is extremely ambivalent on this, and these are "old timer Japanese" brought up in the old system. Taking leave would give bully extra "justification" to peck on them when they get back.

Report the superior? Even if they have a guy up there that actually has sympathy, it'll be a pretty serious problem before he rules in favor of the junior over the senior.

So, what are the real options?

Why is it so unpopular to suggest that people really can take actions to protect themselves?

It is not unpopular to suggest that. It is unpopular not to try and understand that it is the bully that is wrong, not the victim of the bullying. When you phrase the question in the way you did, it certainly strikes me as more of blaming the victim than looking for solutions to help the victims.

Case in point:

Friggin cowards all of you. The world is better off without you.

See, now maybe it is just me, but I do not see a heck of a lot of compassion there. It is the lack of compassion that is probably the causing a reaction that makes your comments unpopular.

Is it better for people to just be told its the bully's fault and then pray for karma to come do something about it?

No. However, it would be better to understand that people stay in unhealthy situations for many reasons, fear, lack of confidence, financial reasons, etc. Telling people that the world is better off without them is hardly the way to give them confidence to get away from a bully. In fact, it only results in more victims.

"Is it better for people to just be told its the bully's fault and then pray for karma to come do something about it? " 'Praying' (in all its forms) might look like a waste of time to you...but that could well be because you clearly have no conception at all - of what a 'bully' may be capable of. What are you thinking of? A comic strip cartoon character, who can be persuaded to slip on a banana skin while everyone laughs? You imagine, for a moment, that the word 'bully' inevitably means some kind of schoolboy with a pea shooter and a grudge? When you have actually met someone, who is in any kind of position of power - sufficient to cause YOU profound psychological or physical or material distress - without your having a crumb of power to defend yourself or escape - without even that miserable recompense - 'retaliation'.... When you feel your own life, or the lives of those you love, may be in the hands of someone whose interest and motivation is entirely self-gratifying, and there is no help to be found, no law to protect you, no power to crush that of the offender (and millions of people around the world, must, at this minute be in such a position right now -) only then - can you come back with your insolent, disrespectful and ignorant comments that defend bullying and the cruelty it brings about.

Since everybody is sharing their thoughts... I will share too.. Out of 4 conclusions, I strongly believe that both men killed by the same party for the same motive.. yet it is very suspicious that second victim as the police says ''he had apparently hanged himself''.... died in car at a very odd place for a suicide.. since both suicide letters were planted there for purpose.. For the first victim, He said ''he is exhausted from work''... Why'd a man kill himself, who is not far away from his retirement took his life..?? By my conclusion two pieces are missing from the story... that police yet to find.. If you guys have any other theories.. share with me.. it might help to reach the exact solution..

As unusual as this sounds, it is actually possible to hang oneself in a car

Apologies for my previous post. I was completely mistaken. The second police officer was in fact found hanged in a car just as you and this article wrote.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sExpfC-ybG4

I don't know how he did it either, but he did it.

Thank you.. I have seen the link you provided. It is possible to hang oneself in car but process is very much painful.. Second, it is odd that he committed suicide 50km away from the first incident. Normally people with guilt commit suicide in a usual way like hanging to ceiling, etc. But this is different, I think the victim drive the murderer to that spot, the murderer killed him, switching the places, and all done... (The difference in 2 incident is 2 days... a very small time-frame.. indicates possibly revenge.. which means murderer is the someone who knew the first victim.. tried to kill second officer the way first died..) though it's the one possible conclusions..

the reasons don't make sense, unless Japanese are breakable pieces of tissue paper thin in resolve. I don't buy it that two cops are like that. This looks more like a double homicide. Since mass suicide is common in Japan though I doubt any questions will arise, which is probably why it was staged this way

Wait now for the hanging of the superior's superior ?

An individual or individuals, suspected of suicide is much easier to say case closed... But a suspect of murder to appear like a suicide....in Japan I think cases like this are declared suicide to easily.

@Slumdog: Why does it sound like you are blaming people who are bullied instead of blaming the bullies? ... lack of compassion...

Unless you are suffering from terrible pain from which not even the strongest drugs can save you, you're having a terminal stage illness, or you are trying to save a loved one by having a lung/heart/ donated (cause there is no available), I can understand that, and feel sorry for you.

However committing suicide for reasons mentioned in the article, then call me a cold hearted bastard but I'm not going to pity the fool.

A person being bullied is left to fend for him-/herself because there is no law that can protect him/her. So called friends will not rush to his/her aid (out of fear of being bullied as well). One can pray that karma will eventually get back at his aggressor, but until then he has to endure.

There's a limit to how much one can endure. When that said person is pushed over the limit, there is no stepping back, from here you get either suiciders or deranged, rabid, mad killers, or torturers, long description for insane person. Like a rabid dog cornered, will jump and attack the first person that gets into it's proximity.

So back to the real problem. Society is keeping a closed eye on bullying. If that is solved or at least reduced then you will see that less people will be committing crimes(hitting children for no apparent reason, killing for no apparent reason, torturing just because why not) and suicides.

On a side note. One can hang himself in a car fairly easy, there's usually a handle above the doors.

Work pressure can actually push a weak person over his limit easy.

That's why I said take time off, if a superior is using his status to bully you, then just quit or stand your ground and slam your fist into his/her face (not always literally, find a way to get back at him/her or just simply ignore the remarks he's making).

There is always a way. Only a weak coward can't find it.