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No. of suicides in Japan at historic low in 2019 but more teens kill themselves

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Not surprising as the population has declined in number.,,and yet young people (Japan's most important resource) killed themselves in large numbers.

10 ( +11 / -1 )

Good news! Thank God. Good work by the government, social workers and others to bring greater awareness of this issue and offer help to the suicidal and depressed has paid off. Well done.

Is the rise in teen suicide partially a result of social media? Poor kids.

-9 ( +4 / -13 )

The suicide rate edged down to 16% per 100,000

I am not sure if this statement is correct.

Anyway, positive news. More should be done on youth suicide.

9 ( +9 / -0 )

Suicide is contagious especially among young population. Careful media reporting is necessary.

What is missing in the data above is the number of suicide attempts. As far as I understand, those who tried to kill themselves only to survive temporarily for longer than 24 hrs, but eventually die of a cause led by earlier suicide attempt are not counted as a suicide. The potential suicidal cases may be larger in number.

10 ( +11 / -1 )

People need to be their emotionally for their children, with out added parental stress

3 ( +3 / -0 )

IF the education sector or the entire society for that matter, could probably lay off the pressure from the students and the younger generation, maybe the suicide rates could drop. It's not that the younger generations are weaker than the older ones, they're just placed under more stress and pressure than the older ones during their time. Mental illnesses is looked down upon and not taken seriously in Asia very well (this I can personally say from first hand experience). If Japanese society can't do that (I'm willing to bet they won't anyway), then at least give active counselling to students. Given its population decline, every kid growing into adult age in Japan should be treated as a valuable resource far more valuable than gold and oil

9 ( +9 / -0 )

Japanese need to learn, it normal to show emotion, if you are treated right

1 ( +4 / -3 )

And still the leading cause of death in Japanese youth...

4 ( +4 / -0 )

The suicide rate edged down to 16% per 100,000, ... what?

per 100,000 deaths? people?

now add the 16 per cent

16 per hundred per hundred thousand.

???

Can someone explain this stat?

0 ( +0 / -0 )

FYI

Suicide rate per 100,000 population

Japan : 16.0 in 2019

USA : 15.3 in 2016

Germany : 13.6 in 2016

5 ( +5 / -0 )

As far as I understand, those who tried to kill themselves only to survive temporarily for longer than 24 hrs, but eventually die of a cause led by earlier suicide attempt are not counted as a suicide. The potential suicidal cases may be larger in number.

Nori,

I have never heard the above, if true, not saying I doubt you, then that is absurd...….and yeah would likely change the numbers by a fair bit.....

1 ( +1 / -0 )

The overall education system in Japan should review their policies and the ways they interact with kids and teenagers. It's not just the academic demands and stress from so much (also, a lot of un-necessary) work, but also the way some teachers and other adults talk to the young ones. The attitudes and thinking that "a rule is a rule", that things have to be done in a precisely certain way, no room for creative thinking, no room for self expression etc. are surely a factor. The young ones feel they are being pressed and put in a box, and nobody is there to listen to their worries, to support them, to help them find their way. I'm from the Nordics myself, worked in Japanese schools for a time, and the greatest difference in education is exactly in these factors.

What I've found appalling as well is the way tragic events are dealt with. They're basically hidden, brushed under the rug. People pretend like it didn't happen, so they don't actually deal with the issues, which would be very important psychologically. I worked in a school where one of the students committed a suicide. It was shortly announced, and then it was never talked about again. They offered short counceling only for the students of the perished student's class. Nothing for other students, nothing for teachers. Teachers wouldn't talk about it, deal with it. They wouldn't think, together, what was the reason, how could the students be supported, and if there's something that could be done to prevent something like that from happening again. It was horrible, and to me, also disrespectful for the student who was now gone. May she rest in peace.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

@GW

Now I am not sure nor update... so please cross-check it yourself. I've only heard that the "24 hour-rule" is applied to categorize and record a death cause for statistical data. There are suicide survivors who stay alive much longer yet with no chance of recovery (like ones in vegetation state with life support). It is hard to decide what is a real death cause.

Other than such technicality, there must exist a far more number of suicide attempts which however do not appear (or under-reported) in official records. I am concerned about overall suicidal tendency among young population.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Not surprising news though very disappointed. I have asked several youngsters throughout Japan about their future outlooks, most of them say no hope, no life. The most of the no hope no life kids responses were from those in rural areas where there are no jobs, programs or things for the kids to enjoy during their time off or free time. Kids today are under so much peer pressure and media advertisements that if one steps back and sees things from their viewpoint would have to agree that a future looks bleak. Those in the bigger cities responded that the jobs that are available have no benefits or future advancement with higher salary opportunities. The good news is that it is now bleak and rather are in a best position if only Japan would invest more in research/development or high tech studies like robotics, A/I, repairs of high tech systems/maintenance etc. as this movement continues to grow at an alarming rate. While true, many of the lower end low skill jobs are disappearing to robotics, programming, manufacturing etc are high in demand. The information is not being spread out to the youngsters as the majority of schools and their systems are outdated and in post tech age.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Though the police did not give any reason for the decline, an improving economy has undoubtedly helped, and a suicide prevention program is apparently bearing fruit.

That's because the police are useless.

Well, so much for the improved economy. What else we got?

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Are these teenagers from broken homes?

0 ( +0 / -0 )

moonbloom:

Not surprising as the population has declined in number

Not only the total number but also the rate (per 100,000) has been down, according to this article.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

It’s a good result, probably it’s the best rate in the story of Japan. But it’s not an endpoint: up to now Japan has had a poetical view of youth, from now on it must realise people has changed.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Not surprising as the population has declined in number.,,

Apparently you don't understand how suicide rates work. A drop in population will not lower the suicide rate. It's a per-capita rate, not an absolute number based on population.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

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