Gov't urges people struggling to cope to seek help after death of actress

1900 unnecessary deaths in August that could have been prevented, and without a vaccine! Society needs to get their priorities in order.

If the government cared it would take steps to make people's lives better, happier. Society is in a constant pressure cooker, one slip and you have no value no purpose. Someone should have see this case, could have helped, not just Shogani and look away.

A lot more than an urge is needed.

This too shall pass.

Whatever difficulty you're going through, please remember those simple but powerful words.

And if those words don't make sense to you, maybe it's time to seek help.

Japan has to finish it's bullying system from company managers and coworkers to weaker persons at the same company.

2. Stop forcing employees to do nonstop overtime until they collapse.

In my company there are currently 3 workers absent because of mental health problems.

All caused by bullying, stress and nonstop expected overtime by the managers.

Additional, stop the fear mongering media with their fear mongering news about Corona and scare the people and probably push them to things, nobody should do.

Japan's government Monday urged people to seek help if they were struggling to cope, 

Seek help? What a stupid and arrogant comment. Why not first recognize that Japan's society has fundamental issues that make it oppressive to many people who end up killing themselves. Without a dramatic change in the society here, this won't change whether or not the government calls for people to seek help which they won't do since Japan's society is a shaming society, and people prefer to kill themselves than to face this huge wall that Japan's society represents. A woman with two kids, one of them born in January, does not kill herself just like that and leave their children. There are catastrophic causes at work here.

It does seem like a LOT of young people in Japan's entertainment industry, mostly female, are committing suicide these days. From what little we publiicly know about how they are treated in that industry, I have trouble believing this is a mere coincidence.

Should seek, as if they really care about the livelihood of people. They will flood your mailbox with income tax, pension, medical insurance, city tax etc etc even if you are unemployed with no revenue.

"1900 unnecessary deaths in August" Wonder how many were related to the additional stress of the virus and its associated problems its brought on many households.

Personally I know some people have lost their jobs due to the situation.

Things could of and should of been handled differently.

Mental health issues are more widespread than people realize, we need to destigmatize it and offer all possible help to those affected.

Was thinking of volunteering for the TELL hotline, this will push me to do it.

Mental health issues in Japan are usually treated with a month’s worth of antidepressants and a renewable prescription.

Two of my ex-wife’s friends killed themselves in their late thirties leaving little kids. Both had sought help and were just prescribed antidepressants with a monthly consultation. The help lines are a useful idea, but professional help needs to be a lot more professional.

Suicide is every individual’s personal right and final option. By fully and guiltlessly realizing that suicide is always available, a person is freer to live more fully in traveling an open-ended journey toward ever-expanding happiness. By accepting the concept of the suicide option, one never needs to fear the permanent loss of happiness.

The suicide option should never be misconstrued as an escape or option when life is difficult, or seems hopeless, or even when one seems to lose everything, including one’s invaluable, irreplaceable romantic-love partner. With consistent rational choices, a person can always experience increasing happiness again, no matter how difficult or painful the immediate situation seems.

Hospitals in Japan rely on a wide range of pills for just about everything.I have yet to meet a doctor here that has prescribed ‘rest’ as a cure for anything but ‘rest’ is what many Japanese people actually need very badly.

Over the years japanese people have been killing themselves anywhere from 20,000 to 31,000 per year.

Now, because of an actress commiting suicide the government shows concern.

Classic japanese lip service. Happens all the time when something negative happens.

It will be forgotten by next week.

If the government really wanted to cut down on thing like this they would do more enforcement of work/life and school/life balance. They keep passing these teeth less laws that are headline catching but unenforceable.

People are tired even if they are not voicing it. Many can't voice it for fear of repercussions.

Our brain can only calculate the best ways to improve its current state.

Unfortunately, Some people , lately too many, find suicide as the better option.

In contrary to previous generations, What we're lacking now is a real purpose, a goal in life ,big enough to cover all hardships, make them challenges.

It's not just the famous and the rich who lost it. It a whole generation.

Working together towards a more connected warm society, based upon mutual guarantee is a key to positive future and happiness.

the JGOV worries as tax collect reduce.... suicide in JAPAN is taboo here since a looong time. with this COVID CIRCUS the number of homeless and hopeless will skyrocket. where are shelters!!!

It is easy for the government to just say. When a person is struggling, do you think it is that easy to reach out for help? The gov is only worried about their pockets.

Although only tangentially related, Japan's mental health system and policy is a national shame and is stuck in the dark ages. Moreover, the personal stigma of seeking medical help for mental health issues is often still treated as a personal failing rather than a health issue.

What was her problem? No information on this.

Name the ACTRESS in the HEADLINE!!!

suicide is a problem particularly in Japan, the Japanese glorified it centuries ago. but... if we had 3 days weekends / 4 weekdays, the world would be a much better place. no wonder people are always in a bad mood and don’t wanna help each other. everything is related to this thing called “work”. the pressure to be “successful”, horrible work culture ( in Japan this is a problem ), too much overtime... the balance between private life and professional life is out of control. also, people need to be more humble. we need to connect with each other. support, help each other. people are feeling more and more isolated and alone. one of the reasons why social media is such a danger.

Do the hustle-san,

I have a very similar experience. I have lost two family members to totally clueless and incompetent psychiatry. Both of these committed suicide in the middle of "treatment."

That there are some very well meaning people in the field of psychology. I don't deny that, but the total lack of any real information that would help means that they just don't have the tools to help people with. Knowing about chemical imbalances in the brain doesn't help!

Invalid CSRF!

2. Stop forcing employees to do nonstop overtime until they collapse.

i agree to this I’m working like a slave and burnt out.

Easy for the government to say things, when it is out of their control.

Not only is the industry to blame but also a lot of these people that are drawn to become actors tend to have issues mentally. This is why they are so easy to be bothered by online bullying and hate.

The first link is the immediate family. Express that your family members are cherished by you. Treat them kindly rather than coldly.

Japan has to finish it's bullying system from company managers and coworkers to weaker persons at the same company......@Monty.

The bullying is systematic, at starts at Nursery or Kindergatten level, continues to Elementary grades, to Junior and High schools. It goes a step further into the colleges/universities and to working places. It doesn't end there even after retirement you will find there's still bullying even the parliament(Diet).

In parliament they form parliamentary affiliations "factions" and in schools and working places is "nakama".

Bullying has been in this country for centuries!

Why not first recognize that Japan's society has fundamental issues that make it oppressive to many people who end up killing themselves. Without a dramatic change in the society here, this won't change whether or not the government calls for people to seek help which they won't do since Japan's society is a shaming society, and people prefer to kill themselves than to face this huge wall that Japan's society represents. A woman with two kids, one of them born in January, does not kill herself just like that and leave their children. There are catastrophic causes at work here.

> Bullying has been in this country for centuries!

Good analysis. Bullying is a real problem here, Ive never quite figured it out. The singularity logic, where one gets so immersed and focused on one insignificant issue and cant see forest from the trees, appears to be a mental illness.perhaps its a tool to control. Personal innovation and DIY seems to be discouraged; any outlet where one can express their individuality. Perhaps thats why the eikawia industry is so big here.. Whats puzzeling about all this, are these goofs who live abroad and admire something they dont understand because if they understood it, they would run away from it. Why? because they are already running from something when they admire Japan. They just dont know that Japan is probably quite worse than what they are running from.

This has probably to do with culture. Every society has problems. In the west the people seeks solace in medicine(drugs), alcohol, violence and any other kind of pleasure to escape the pain and reality of the world. But here in Japan we kept the stress build up inside and keep letting it build up to it's breaking point until we seek death. Probably because we had always been glorifying death since ancient time. We believe it's a release to our trouble and finally be allow to rest. Because we never see death as something shameful or something to be feared at. Is a way to escape. This is our society biggest root problem. Is gonna be hard to change the mindset of the people, because this kind of practice had already been engrain into our very being since ancient times. Government got their work cut out for them.

In some countries seeking death bring shame and suffering upon the family but here to seek death is more like a way out for many. So we had embrace this thinking for centuries. This is also why when sometimes a family member seek death, they will also involve the rest of the family and try taking them too. The government probably cannot help the old generation anymore and prevent this kind of thinking but maybe the government can still save the new generation by providing more information and help programs early on in the education system.

Some people think is because of the work culture. But i think is more than that. For me i never had problem with the working. I am proud to be working using every bit of my life and contribute to the nation. i feel meaning in it. But if i lose my job, that will bring the biggest failure and shame to my life.

In the west the people seeks solace in medicine(drugs), alcohol, violence and any other kind of pleasure to escape the pain and reality of the world.

> Because we never see death as something shameful or something to be feared at. Is a way to escape

seems to be a much deeper issue than the go to "its our culture" and westerners are violent excuse you provide. Seems to me to more about control. Ive been in the lane, and know it well. outside influences and languages are dismised as "not Japanese" so its a singular insular mindset that enforces conformity.

 But if i lose my job, that will bring the biggest failure and shame to my life.

Then dont consider a gaijin life in Japan because many of us have had to change jobs several times. This is the new reality for the rest of the world. Sorry, no sympathy from me . Exclude others then expect admiration....if it dont work for me then why bother?

Yes, using a hotline is a very good idea, a glowing wire around the neck of the beast that is bullying you....lol

Mental health care here is awful, add to that the stigma of having a mental illness and those suffering feel they have no other choice.

Mental Health care here is Madness !

My deepest regret is, good people are always the ones to suffer.

Just because you might be wealthy and famous doesn’t mean you have it all. Life is hard for everyone. I often wonder if a well known persons life might have been longer and more fulfilling if they were just an average nobody.

What's the Japanese Speakers version of those Support Web sites ?

This has probably to do with culture. Every society has problems. In the west the people seeks solace in medicine(drugs), alcohol, violence and any other kind of pleasure to escape the pain and reality of the world. But here in Japan we kept the stress build up inside and keep letting it build up to it's breaking point until we seek death.

If suicide could be seen as cultural in Japan, I do not think your interpretation could be seen as expletive. There is a big problem of alcohol consumption and violence in Japan (see the posts about bullying for example) same for other pleasure (otaku for example) thus if the use of these in other area in the world could help reduce suicide, it should work in Japan too. Moreover as everywhere in the world death can be seen as shameful or not, can be seen at a release or not, can be seen as something which should involve other people or not and so on. It looks like trying to romanticize suicide in Japan and create a artificial difference in between two people killing themselves regarding their place ot life and use a false culture claim as the whole of Japan is just opposed to the West which involve quite a lot a different culture on both side.

Japan society should stop being a "busybody" and gossip / report at each others how they dress, how the conform, how individual behave....starting at workplace, neighbors, just mind yourself and be more individualistic, stop creating a "pressure cooker" without your own self. WHO CARES, WHY BORDERS attitude should prevail.

I am proud to be working using every bit of my life and contribute to the nation. i feel meaning in it. But if i lose my job, that will bring the biggest failure and shame to my life.

like I said, the pressure to be “successful” is part of the problem. “the biggest failure and shame to your life”?! no. you just start trying to find another job. people need to start enjoying life. life is more than you think it is. it’s not just about work.

Rest In Peace! Japan is way too depressed to be living in!

I'm glad the Japanese government is taking this PSA drive. I remember a similar one online when Michael Hutchence of INXS took his life and Chris Cornell of Soundgarden as well a few years ago.

I had a college GF who suffered an emotional illness most of her life and she ended it a few years ago. It's shocking and it hurts those who are left behind in this life. If you or someone you know has extreme pressures, get help.

Suicide is not an answer. I cry at times over my loss. Don't let it happen to you or a loved one.