Hyogo school girl falls to her death just days after entrance ceremony

Thursday 16th April, 09:13 AM JST

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smithinjapan at 12:13 PM JST - 16th April

nimbus: More than 30,000 people in Japan off themselves yearly, and many are junior-high/highschool students who experience bullying. It's much, MUCH more reasonable to draw the conclusion that she killed herself than it is to think for some reason she was a random target of pointless murder. Of course, if you're just making light of the situation and murder as well, that just says a little something about you, I guess.

Either way, it's a sad fact that as I said so many people here commit suicide. Of COURSE teens in all countries experience angst and stress and there's a high number of suicides, but here it is often the case for adults in turmoil as well, and with almost ZERO support systems in place. As such, it's almost role-modeling and showing the kids the 'easy' way out instead of having posters, 24-hour crisis centers and help lines, etc., and if you're seen as depressed you might be taken out of school and kept at home like a dirty secret instead of parents encouraging kids and seeking help.

I feel very sorry for this young girl and her family, but I'm not at all surprised that no one 'saw this coming'. Saying you're depressed in Japan is akin to you admitting you have a mental handicap or something, and saying you are bullied is guaranteed to be ignored or get YOU a scolding.
airrunwesker at 01:07 PM JST - 16th April

May she rest in pece! 15 is not the end of the world for anyone.
flammenwerfer at 01:49 PM JST - 16th April

misleading headline: falls. Leaps, jumps are more accurate words to describe this. Either way its a real shame that she felt there was no way out but this.
elbudamexicano at 03:02 PM JST - 16th April

Yes, "falls" instead of "leaps" does make it sound like some kind of horrible accident, but leaving her shoes?? I am not Japanese, but I think this is a very Japanese way to show that you prefer somewhere else than this life. Very, very sad indeed!
dennis0bauer at 03:04 PM JST - 16th April

I wonder if we ever find out the reason RIP -__-
jessssicaaa at 03:52 PM JST - 16th April

falling from the staircase landing on the fourth floor - They said she appeared to be doing fine and showed no signs of any problems

It might not have been suicide.. she might have fallen or she could of been pushed, but i suppose without further investigation it cant be proven, but not all people who fall of buildings are suicidal, it could of been a staged suicide, its possible. i hope they will do further investigation to make sure ;]

In any case, RIP and my sympathy goes to the family and friends.
Den Den at 04:29 PM JST - 16th April

Only country I know where proponents take-off and neatly arrange their shoes. Condolences to her family.
burro at 05:46 PM JST - 16th April

Look at the stats - for suicides among teens Japan compares with any other Westernised country. There are simply some teens who have trouble adapting for whatever reason. If you can't handle teen life with the joys and freedom it entails then you really are screwed.
noborito at 09:03 PM JST - 16th April

"ambulance rushed" really? The ambulances I see around here move slower than taxi's. I have seen Taxi's pass them before. Wonder how long it took. I bet 15 to 20 minutes, just enought to bleed out and die.
GG2141 at 09:35 PM JST - 16th April

What is it with "Hyogo Prefecture" ???????????? Always in the news for some sort of mayhem and disaster.

Note to self* When throwing enemies to their richly deserved deaths, always pull their shoes off and arrange them neatly beside the ledge.
Osakadaz at 09:49 PM JST - 16th April

I have had a 15 year-old student do the same thing here before.The parents came to school desperate to stay she 'fell' out of her window.I had to view her body..an experience I never want again.I know this may be politically incorrect,but the Japanese just really need to 'harden up'. Ironic that in a land that brought us karate,so many kids (and adults) allow themselves to be dominated and bullied to the point of suicide.As a high school teacher I do also know that most of the bullying is emotional (and mobile phones are more and more the catalyst for this)..again though.. harden the hell up.What happened to Yamato damashi? I suspect that if the parents were better listeners and took proactive steps to support their kids the outcome may be different.My kid is going to be taught to value him or herself.I was physically bullied for 5 yrs at high school and eventually had two stoushes with the big bully..met the guy as an adult and he apologised profusely saying he had been trying to impress his friends.If kids knew how weak the bullies really were they would be less afraid.
temporaryVisa at 10:19 PM JST - 16th April

That sucks that you were confronted with such a situation Osakadaz but I'm not so sure that is the right answer. I think the problem is that people in Japan who are under pressure just have no other option then to suck it up. If it would be socially acceptable to seek help and professional help was actually available to them then we might see suicides coming down.
proxy at 10:22 PM JST - 16th April

There is no rhyme or reason. The "bullied" excuse is often used in Japan because like most teen suicides around the world the family is left flabbergasted and need to relieve their own minds by assigning some kind of blame.
proxy at 10:32 PM JST - 16th April

There is plenty of help available in Japan and people often go to "heart" clinics. The "heart" clinic down the road is full of high school and junior high schools students getting help. Outside of a very few snooty families in Kyoto seeking help is accepted in Japan. There IS a problem in Japan with families not accepting disabilities like autism.
knews at 11:24 PM JST - 16th April

Long ago in Sydney, Australia, I was on a train that hit a man who had apparently jumped off a station platform. His shoes were left neatly on the platform and I remember seeing his severed leg when we were told to get off the train and walk to the station just ahead. I wonder what the shoes off thing signifies.