32,249 suicides reported in japan in 2008; depression leading cause

Thursday 14th May, 10:17 AM JST

TOKYO —

The number of people who committed suicide in Japan in 2008 remained above 30,000 for the 11th consecutive year, with depression continuing to top the list of reasons, a National Police Agency survey showed Thursday. The number of suicides in the reporting year stood at 32,249, down 2.6% from the preceding year, the NPA said.

Suicides attributed to depression totaled 6,490, representing about 28% of 23,490 suicides for which reasons were made clear due to notes left by those who killed themselves or the knowledge of people close to them.

The NPA revised the categorization of reasons and motives for suicide in 2007. Under the new categorization, suicides are divided into 50 reasons.

In 2008, depression-linked suicides were followed by 5,128 over physical ailments, 1,733 over debts from multiple lenders and 1,529 over other debts, said the NPA.

Bullying-linked suicides came to 16, up two from the previous year. The figure includes 13 for those aged up to 19, up three from 2007.

By age, suicides were most common among people in their 50s with 6,363 cases.

Suicides among those in their 70s, for whom data were disclosed for the first time, totaled 3,697. The figure for those aged 80 or older stood at 2,361.

The number of younger people who killed themselves increased in the reporting year. Those in their 30s came to an all-time high of 4,850. Those in their 20s totaled 3,438, and those aged up to 19 came to 611.

In 2008, Yamanashi Prefecture continued to mark the highest suicide rate of 41.1 per 100,000 people among Japan’s 47 prefectures, followed by Aomori, at 36.9, and Akita, at 36.6. Yamanashi has the Aokigahara Jukai forest, which has become a popular place for suicides since a novel that ended with a heroine killing herself in the forest was published in 1960.

The NPA said the number of people who committed suicide using hydrogen sulfide totaled 181 in the January-March quarter of this year, compared with 29 for 2007 and 1,056 for 2008.

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Latest 15 of 27 Total Comments Show All

LostinNagoya at 01:30 PM JST - 14th May

Poor souls. RIP.
scubajim at 01:48 PM JST - 14th May

They need to recognize mental health issues. Modern medication for depression has been around for a long time. Most of these medications are illegial in Japan. (though not in Europe or the USA). It is a big problem.
VOR at 02:17 PM JST - 14th May

Few if any Japanese have the ability to share their feelings with anyone. Its not surprising so many sink into that deep dark place where suicide seems like a legitimate solution. I don't see these numbers improving much even if the government puts on huge public service campaign against suicide.
jonnyboy at 02:28 PM JST - 14th May
1. A culture revolution that defines suicide as shameful instead of honourable
i'm afraid this is how it's traditionally seen
sharky1 at 02:29 PM JST - 14th May

How did they arrive at the conclusion that depression was the primary cause??? Duh....
lazarus0202 at 02:45 PM JST - 14th May

depression leading cause? really? thanks for pointing that out, i thought it might have been pinkeye.

why are headlines so obvious?
tonywang at 03:20 PM JST - 14th May

No doubt the suicide rate for Aomori would have been even higher if it wasn't for the delicious apples.
dennis0bauer at 03:23 PM JST - 14th May

good idea tkoind2, but 11 years in a row show how much has been done to battle these suicides, i guess 50 catagories is what they came up with :(

Damn i am in aomori, now i am getting depressed
medievaltimes at 09:24 PM JST - 14th May

Modern medication for depression has been around for a long time. Most of these medications are illegial in Japan. (though not in Europe or the USA). It is a big problem.

Excellent point that most people don't realize.

I asked a Japanese friend about this and her response was that foreign meds are too strong for Japanese people. I then asked her why doesn't the doctor adjust the dosage accordingly. Her response was a tilt of the head, sucked air thru clenched teeth and the words "It's difficult".
Den Den at 11:13 PM JST - 14th May

Wow, fifty reasons to commit suicide! Luckily they didn't publish them...after seeing your reason listed, who knows what you might do.
smithinjapan at 11:25 PM JST - 14th May

teleprompter: "Japan has less than half the US population but more suicides."

I'm not sure why you say the suicide rate here brings the nature of violence into question, unless of course you mean 'violence against one self' (and it was nothing to do with gun violence in the US, that's for sure!).

You're right that Japan has half the population of the US but more suicides... it also has about 23 times less land space (and only 20% of the space they have liveable), and work hours vs. vacation time here are simply insane. There are just too many differing factors to compare it based on so little.

I am with the others in terms of citing a complete or near total lack of support in dealing with depression, as well as an old school 'taboo' about prescribing and/or taking meds that deal with depression, panic attacks/stress, or any other 'mental disease'. They'll give out cold and flu medicine like they were feeding the fat pigeons in the park, but meds and support for stress/depression and what not are still very faux pas.
Disillusioned at 08:42 AM JST - 15th May

It's weird they differentiate between the causes of suicide. It's ALL depression related!

Every year this same report comes out with similar statistics closely followed by a hollow promise from the gov to do something about it. I've seen this for the last decade, but nothing changes. Possibly, just possibly, the gov has no idea how to deal with this. Allow me to give some tips: quality of life, realistic working hours, extend paid vacation to 20 days a year like the rest of the developed world and let people take them without a guilt trip, increase social services, public education campaigns, bestow a sense of 'being' in the society, and finally, get rid of all that childish crap from the TV! It's no wonder 24% of adults have mental illness. 10 minutes of Japanese TV makes me suicidal!
Disillusioned at 08:54 AM JST - 15th May

Also, why doesn't this report address how many of these suicides were murder-suicides and list the number of people killed by these losers?
Betting at 10:32 AM JST - 15th May

"I asked a Japanese friend about this and her response was that foreign meds are too strong for Japanese people. I then asked her why doesn't the doctor adjust the dosage accordingly. Her response was a tilt of the head, sucked air thru clenched teeth and the words "It's difficult".

I had a boss here like that once, would do exactly the same thing. But after a while I finally figured out that this kind of person just really doesn't know any of the true facts themselves so they just make stuff up to cover up anything they see as defective in their lives.
beavis at 11:40 AM JST - 15th May

a heroine killing herself in the forest

Monkey see, monkey do.