crime

Police station chief apparently hangs himself in Niigata park

23 Comments

The chief of a police station in in Tainai, Niigata Prefecture apparently hanged himself in a park on Monday night, police said Tuesday.

According to police, the body of Yoshinobu Yahagi, 53, was found in a park near the station by another police officer at about 8:15 p.m., NTV reported. He was taken to hospital where he was pronounced dead.

Police said that Yahagi called the station at 7:30 p.m. and asked an officer to go and check his room at the police dormitory where Yahagi lived. The officer found Yahagi's will and personal letters there, NTV reported.

Police said they are investigating to try and determine a motive for the apparent suicide. Media reported late Tuesday that Yahagi had been the subject of an internal investigation by the police department but gave no details.

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23 Comments
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53 and lived in a police dormitory? Sounds pretty sad.

-4 ( +1 / -5 )

@Wakarimasen: Here in Japan many employees live in company dorms.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

I believe he committed suicide to take responsibility for job related Irregularities.

1 ( +4 / -3 )

Execution hangings are designed to break the neck, rendering the prisoner unconscious. In this case the poor guy probably strangled to death, NOT a nice way to go. RIP.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

Suicide is never the answer. WHY isn't his taught in schools???

I always ask, How, Why and Where do people get the idea that suicide is a good idea? Is there some book kids read at school that says 'indirectly' that suicide is an honorable way it and a good choice when things are a little tough in life...

To me, suicide is the ultimate show of selfishness....

Here I am dead, now make sure you clean me away and waste even more time looking into my death...

-5 ( +4 / -9 )

Tokyokawasaki, do you think the guy just woke up and thought "Oh, I'm bored, let's do something dumb" and just killed himself? The decision to commit a suicide is never an easy one, and for many different people there are different reasons. Standing outside it's easy to say "but there are other ways to solve your problem", but those inside those problems just can't see them.

When you are so depressed that actually death may seem like a good solution, it may mean that the so called "logical thinking" is not working anymore. It is selfish to try to protect yourself from pain and problems? Can anybody take away their problems? If they are lucky to have such people around, maybe their lives may not need to be wasted. But how can you call somebody "selfish" if they have nobody to count on? If they see their problems as too big for themselves and they got nobody to share them with, death suddenly becomes not such a bad solution.

Not everybody is lucky enough to have the strength to see through their problems. And if I can't help the person, I certainly have no right to criticize this person.

8 ( +10 / -2 )

Wakarimassen - 53 and lived in a police dormitory? Sounds pretty sad.

Yes, very 'wakarimassen'! Japanese police work a three to five day shift depending on their rank and position and live in dormitories or their koban for that time, which probably contributes to the high suicide rate as they have no life outside the koban.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

Zybster, it is exactly that attitude that prevents the suicide rate from declining. That attitude makes it easy for people to selfishly kill themselves, safe in the knowledge that it is considered acceptable to do so... Why don't you (hypothetically) just say "Go on Mr Policeman, it's all right, we understand, we wont interfere"...

I say BS to that. It just allowing those in a bad situation to playing the "I am a victim" card. Education and Proper welfare/social services is a good place to start... I cannot think of any reason why 30,000 plus people in Japan need to kill themselves each year.. Sure a few maybe, but 30,000 + WTF

I think it is a combination of a heartless society (as in I only care about myself and maybe my family), lame, heartless and useless government, and 3rd world social services...

Finally, Why do I say people who commit suicide are selfish? Because they knowingly leave a mess that someone has to clear up and/or pay for. If they want to just die, why not go out into the countryside, dig a deep hole climb in and make the hole walls collapse on top of them. Job finished and no mess. Why go and hang yourself in a public park???

-4 ( +2 / -6 )

You are all looking at this with a western/westernized Judeo-Christian and "new" Buddhism viewpoint. Go further back in time to the true roots of Japan and you might find the thought processes and causes of why this happens. Not that you can ken at all though. (look it it up...)

0 ( +2 / -2 )

You are all looking at this with a western/westernized Judeo-Christian and "new" Buddhism viewpoint

As opposed to...?

0 ( +1 / -1 )

The person who found him probably can't sleep right now. Wicked stuff.....

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

Tokyokawasaki, I am not supporting suicide, not at all. I am just against blaming everything on the person, while, as you're saying, there should be a support system in the society. However, in this particular society there is no such support system, so you got those high rates. Heck, going to a psychologist or a psychiatrist in this country is considered a stigma and a sign that you're crazy. So, nobody goes anywhere, and people who are in need of help from others are not getting any help. You're right, we can blame it on the society, on the government, on everybody around.

At the end the lonely and depressed people are still very lonely and very depressed. And there is nobody to help them. From here it's very easy to conclude that "if nobody cares about me, maybe I'm not needed here" and they do whatever: hang themselves, jump in front of the train etc. "If I'm nobody and nobody cares about me, why should I care about anybody?"

3 ( +4 / -1 )

53 and lived in a police dormitory? Sounds pretty sad.

There's no shame in being frugal.

Plus, many police dormitories are pretty spacy and well-equipped.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

tokyokawasaki

Count yourself lucky that you don't have suicidal thoughts. Just because we don't understand and were brought up to think suicide is "wrong", doesn't mean it is wrong. Who is to say what is right regarding suicide? Is it really only the clean up part that bothers you? Obviously there are 30,000 different reasons people kill themselves in Japan every year. Find out what those reasons are early and maybe the number will go down.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

What did he do that was soooo bad he killed himself ??? TO BAD WE WILL NEVER KNOW THE DETAILS !!!

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

"Just because we don't understand and were brought up to think suicide is "wrong", doesn't mean it is wrong. Who is to say what is right regarding suicide? "

Tell that to the family and friends of people who suicide.

"You are all looking at this with a western/westernized Judeo-Christian and "new" Buddhism viewpoint."

Really?

Tokyokawasaki, there are plenty of unselfish people who commit suicide.

My point is that if you think suicide is not a good thing (like me - perhaps because I'm a "new Buddhist - whatever that is"), then it will have to start with changing the thinking of the older generation. It's the older generation that leads in the statistics in this country, and until that changes we can't help younger people.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

I'm perplexed by the use of the word "apparently" in the headline. He either hung himself or he didn't.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Tatanka : It could be murder. ...................... It happens. Maybe - as a chief he knew too much..............................It is strange, indeed, for the man to hang himself in a public place ...............This kind of public "executios" is often done to make a point to others.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

I think I am being misunderstood.

First I am not looking at this from any delusional religious angle. I am a humanist and anti-theist. Do people not realize the extraordinary events that had to occur just for them to be born! The fact that we are alive and able to enjoy life is an amazing and extremely precious event.

My point is, the suicide rate in Japan is shocking. This is supposed to be a highly advanced developed nation. I think we should all stop acting sympathetic to those that give in and commit suicide, and instead get tough on those that indirectly allow it to go uncontrolled. Government and schools.

Instead, the government needs to add dealing with stress and depression classes at all Junior high schools and above. Re-education is desperately needed. Justifying suicide on some old quaint customs or beliefs is (directly or indirectly) taught or discovered somewhere throughout childhood/adolescence.. We should focus on un-teaching (is that even a word) that suicide is cool and all the rage for those without a backbone. The focus should be on recognizing signs of stress and depression, and teaching that it is wise and respectable to seek help. Reverse the stigma and make it apply to not seeking help.

On top of that the government needs to pump some love and blood into it's cold steel heart, and provide support, counseling and other professional facilities based on modern 21st century practices. Then make the public aware of the locations and benefits of visiting...

The result would i'm sure significantly reduce the amount of totally unnecessary suicides.

-3 ( +0 / -3 )

@Zybster: From here it's very easy to conclude that "if nobody cares about me, maybe I'm not needed here" and they do whatever: hang themselves, jump in front of the train etc. "If I'm nobody and nobody cares about me, why should I care about anybody?"

Isn't that just confirming how selfish people are who commit suicide? It's all about me, me, me, me. I am a victim, I am a victim.

I would like to slap them in the face and say, you need you. You can still enjoy life on your own. It's all about mental conditioning... Now grow a pair and read a self help book on something like 'seeking fulfillment' or 'Neuro-linguistic programming (NLP)'... Or better yet become a full-time volunteer and help orphans, street children or other people and children who are really suffering from a disorder or impoverished lifestyle.

-3 ( +0 / -3 )

Pretty sure that if he notified other police officers about his will in his room that this was not a murder.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Very Japanese away to end up

0 ( +0 / -0 )

@tokyokawasaki

Took the words right out of my mouth. Completely agree.

I only add, that if this guy really wanted to kill himself. Why in a public park to ruin the lives of anyone who passes by. That is not the first thing a child should see while playing in the park. He lives in a police dorm. He could have done himself in his apartment where only police officers would have found him.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

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