Suicide jumpers disrupt train services at Gotanda, Shinjuku

bad

This will be one helluva bill and fine. Not much sympathy for this guy... RIS... rest in selfishness

I always feel so bad for the train drivers and all the others that have to witness this. I wish there was a way to deter people from jumping in front of so many others. I would like to see it be manditory for the family to pay all the by-standers and train drivers a good chunk of money so they can get councelling. However, that may not help if the person was broke, had no family or would put the family in a dire situation.

More stations are installing automatic gates on the platforms, but it is expensive and takes time to do it at all the stations.

dood.. that's like a gazillion yen the family would have to pay if you got your way sakurala.. Shinjuku station is no joke! That's like kicking the family while they are already down... if I was to run with your idea.. I would say... I would like to see the grim reaper wait a few moments... take this guy to the atm.. pull out all his money.. toss it around right before he jumped.

Those people are ridiculous hassle , although I definitely understand if he pissed and wants to cause the most inconvenience possible thats probably the best way to do it. Sorry for the train driver / commuters that had to see it though

Tawnchan: I realize that and that is why it is not likely possible. However, the people that jump really do have real impact on the people at the station. One of my friends witnessed something like this and could't take the train for 2 weeks because he was so traumatized. He had to miss school which seriously affected his grades. There should be at least significant compensation for the train driver and any others that were directly affected (blood or such that lands on a person).

I really hope they hurry up with making the gates for all the train lines but there have been complications due to door patterns on different trains that use the same station.

I feel bad for the driver of the train and the passengers both in the train and at the platforms who witness these jumps.

I disagree that it should be mandatory for the families to pay. I mean, why should they? Because they're family? I agree that the bystanders and drivers would need counseling but I don't see why the families should have to pay for it.

man, i hope the copycats stay indoors.

This man just stole 82 years from people's lives... That's murder.

If he needed to end his own life, he should have just done it where nobody cares. Or just devote his life to helping others if his life is useless, should have volunteered to clear mines in war torn countries or something else that's useful.

Ms. Alexander: The reason why I suggest having the families pay, is because if the jumper is leaving a family behind, most of the time they do not want to burden them anymore. Knowing that they would have to pay may deter them from offing themselves in a public place because he wouldn't want to cause a financial situation. I also heard that there is a policy that the family has to pay JR in such situations. I would like to see more of that money going to the people who need it rather than to the company for the delay.

Unfortunately just another Wednesday night in Tokyo. I hear they choose the Chuo line because the train is long, and can't stop easily.

Stupid... And the family of the deceased is left with a hefty fine for stopping the train.

This will be one helluva bill and fine. Not much sympathy for this guy... RIS... rest in selfishness

How the hell is suicide 'selfishness'!? The guy must have went through a bad patch sometime and he didn't want to put his family through it!

My condolences to the man's family.

Curse a guy, dig two graves!

Famiiles are already required to pay JR. If jumpers didn't wanna burden their family, they wouldn't jump in front of the train. They obviously don't care anymore about anything.

I heard a story before where the brother of a friend's friend jumped in front of the train and died. He had family but they weren't in communicating terms for years and years (he was older). And even though the family hadn't kept in touch with him, they had to fork out a large chunk of money (had to get a bank loan) to pay JR just because they were family. To me, that's not fair. A family shouldn't have to pay just because they are family.

Yeah, this man's family owes me 10,000yen cos I had to take a taxi home. Tell me where to send the bill!

I don't get this compunction to have the family pay the bill, legally. Is there really a law somewhere that states suicides' families have to pay train companies if they commit suicide? If I got a bill like that I'd tell them where to stick it. I just don't see how this can be law, and only related to train companies. There are lots of people inconvenienced when someone commits suicide anywhere, how do you measure that, and why do the things you can measure like lost income on an apartment because the landlord has to lower the rent, not get paid too?

Wow, what a dick. How many people had their evenings ruined because of train delays? How is that driver doing? How is his family doing? How are the people who saw this happen doing? Suicide is such a selfish thing - more so to off yourself in such a manner.

I just hope the train is ok.

Last I heard, if you made a train delayed for any unwarranted reason you would be charged a fine based on the amount of people who were inconvenienced by it. Not sure if that is true and how much money they would charge per person. As for the bill going to their family, it would be the same as them dying with a pile of debt accumulated before their death. Someone has to pay it. If they don't have a large fine being handed down to the families as a result of this I think they should and make it well known so these people might think a minute or two before they jump in front of a train to end their lives about the consequences it will have - then go out and buy one of those charcoal burners and kill themselves in their car or something instead.

Well said Michael Craig.

I'm sorry the guy felt there was no other option. Are these things planned, I'm not so sure. It's pretty sad to think of somebody stood on a platform and feel they need to do that to escape what ever pain they are in. I wonder what was so bad he didnt want to get on the train that day.

Making the family pay is stupid, I mean seriously, if someone is angry and wants to cause the maximum result with their death then jumping in front of the busiest train in Tokyo at the busiest time is bound for the best result. Yes he's selfish and weak but if its anger that drives jumpers then they are gonna go for their monies worth so to speak. Seems to me that instead of barriers maybe a decent health care system would be better value for money.

Station officials said train services were delayed for about 50 minutes

I feel sorry for the station workers that have to clean something like this. Must have been a terible site. My prayers go out to them as well.

A New York Times article from 2009 (online) stated the following:

Last year, nearly 2,000 people committed suicide in Japan by jumping in front of a train. They accounted for about 6 percent of suicides nationwide.

This incident is certainly a tragedy, but with so many other such suicides every year in Japan I wonder why this particular case made the news.

Amidalism

I don't know about Japan, in the UK you're not liable for deceased family member's debts that are unpaid, only the estate of the deceased is. Perhaps that's where they get the money from, the suicide's estate that would otherwise have to gone to family, but that's different from "the family have to pay". I'm just curious how you can be liable in any contemporary society for something you didn't do.

Sensato - It made the news because everyone from kanagawa to Chiba to saitama was stranded because of this (expletive). The article states 36,000 people, but the actual number is much larger.

Buggerlugs - If the family is not responsible to pay damages, who is? JR? The public? Me? I have already paid 10,000yen in damages just to get home and I am still fuming!

How the hell is suicide 'selfishness'!? The guy must have went through a bad patch sometime and he didn't want to put his family through it!

I agree. I see all the armchair specialists on suicide are at their flippant and callous best today. You have to wait a bit longer, or pay a bit of money....woe is you. How difficult your lot must be.

That's real selfishness.

DisillusionedOct. 04, 2012 - 11:33AM JST

If the family is not responsible to pay damages, who is? JR? The public? Me? I have already paid 10,000yen in damages just to get home and I am still fuming!

You actually. The tickets specifically state that they are not liable for YOUR losses using their system.

For those who ask "how the hell is suicide selfishness?" does the person killing themselves think of anyone else? Are they thinking of the train driver who has to live with the knowledge that he was driving a train that someone died in front of? The station staff who have to clean up the blood and human remains splashed across the tracks? People who see this grisly sight? Of course not, they are not even considered by the person jumping.

It is the height of selfishness to kill yourself in such a public and grotesque manner, thoughtless to the very end.

Wait, how is this a story? Train suicides happen every day, in bulk. Is it just really rare at Shinjuku station or something? Just last week I saw a drunk guy jump/fall on the tracks at Shinjuku, luckily there was no train and the staff got him up right away, but considering the millions of people that go through that station daily it can't be that rare.

Not sure why this is news...it happens like all the time in japan.

I agree. I see all the armchair specialists on suicide are at their flippant and callous best today. You have to wait a bit longer, or pay a bit of money....woe is you. How difficult your lot must be.

That's real selfishness.

No it isn't, no need to demean the views of others either. Aren't you just as comfy in your little armchair? There are ways to off yourself with out traumatizing others. Publicly offing yourself is nothing short of being completely selfish.

The news value is in the fact that it occurred on Shinjuku Chuo line station and that the magnitude of the economic and other impact caused is enormous at all levels. Otherwise train suicides would seldom be reported in avoidance of others to be influenced into conducting similar acts. While suicide is probably one of the saddest acts for any human being to conduct it is even more sad when such suicides are reported and criticized for all the other reasons. Ironically however once such suicides are reported harsh criticism is probably the most effective means to prevent others to follow. By no means news that anyone wants to read about and RIP all the same.

Tamara - I agree. I see all the armchair specialists on suicide are at their flippant and callous best today. You have to wait a bit longer, or pay a bit of money....woe is you.

So, you were obviously not one of the ones stranded until well after midnight last night. It must have been very nice for you sitting at home. I'm pleased you have sympathy for the suicidal twit. Would you give me my 10,000yen back please?

If the jumper was able to see past themselves and think of others, they probably wouldn't be suicidal in the first place.

A young man in his 30's giving up, is sad beyond measure.

Legalize suicide now!! The people who hate living should have the legal Right to take their own lives in a more humane, kind manner, not having to jump in front of trains. IMHO Oh! RIP poor young Japanse man

But Chuo suicides happen all the time, too. That's why the line earned the nickname "Chuicide"... why is JT acting like this is breaking news?

Because it is news.

Wow... that girl stole 10 years with one selfish action. If you put that into minimum wage, it's over 50 million yen lost, more than most life insurance policies for children.

Suicidals will achieve their intent no matter what. But they should do it alone. One way to stop jumpers was to slow incoming trains to a speed that could make stop in time to avoid a lethal impact. RIP, both of them, anyway.

Are people really going to demand that this poor man's family is financially ruined as well as having to mourn his death? I feel terribly sorry for both these people, sad that they couldnt see any other way, sad that they have nothing in their lives which they feel they worth hanging around for. Those inconvenienced seriously need to get a bit of perspective and work on their empathy skills.

Feel bad for the witnesses and the jumpers. Gates will prevent this at the stations but not at the crossings. Plus commuters will foot the bill for the gates. Japanese needs a better counselling system to help these people in need. I learned that in Japan, mental help is almost nonexistent and drugs given at hospitals are addictive.

Are people really going to demand that this poor man's family is financially ruined as well as having to mourn his death? I feel terribly sorry for both these people, sad that they couldnt see any other way, sad that they have nothing in their lives which they feel they worth hanging around for. Those inconvenienced seriously need to get a bit of perspective and work on their empathy skills.

Empathy? Again, how can you be empathetic towards someone choosing the most crowded and public space you can think of to kill yourself ? A deserted park, a car garage, a bedroom maybe but a train station at rush hour? I don't think so.

On top of that, burdening your family with having to cover the fees? My empathy goes to the living that have to deal with the debt of the matter as well as the mourning on top of that.

I think we need a new "Do it at home" poster campaign soon.

Terrible comments arguing about the families should pay the fine.

why not sit and think about what is driving over 30,000 people to commit suicide every year in Japan.

There is something socially wrong here to make so many want to kill themselves, and this article deals with the all too familiar scene of train jumpers.

The fine is in place to make people think twice about leaving their family pay it.

There are also mirrors installed at some stations so people will see their reflection and hopefully think twice.

Yet nothing is done to find the real cause. Very, very sad.

LostinNagoyaOct. 04, 2012 - 12:29PM JST

Suicidals will achieve their intent no matter what. But they should do it alone. One way to stop jumpers was to slow incoming trains to a speed that could make stop in time to avoid a lethal impact. RIP, both of them, anyway.

It's a crime of opportunity actually. Most don't struggle if someone stops them.

The solution is really simple AND cheap. Just put some doors on the platforms like they did in Sapporo. They covered 5km of line with doors that only open when the train is there, and did it in a night per station at most. For Yamanote, it would probably take two weeks and maybe 100 million yen (including maintenance and utilities cost for five years), maybe 10 billion yen to cover all of Tokyo's JR stations. If they are worried about gate jumpers (doubtful), they could do a Jubilee line style enclosure for 5-10x the cost.

Everyone talking about hours or money lost, seriously ... A teenage girl just killed herself under a train ...

There is no bill sent to the family as such, the charge is against the deceased's estate.

So a 45 minute delay on the Yamanote line at the peak of rush hour on a weekday morning only affects 110,000 people? Wow. I thought it would be a lot more than that.

EppeeOct. 04, 2012 - 12:52PM JST

Everyone talking about hours or money lost, seriously ... A teenage girl just killed herself under a train ...

You can't bring the dead back. However, you can analyze how much that death cost and then see if it's cheaper to do something about it or ignore it. It's quite easy to see that the cost analysis shows that simply putting up doors so people can't "fall" into tracks is far cheaper than the 2000 suicides a year. You won't stop suicides altogether, but you will stop them from disrupting lives, and perhaps stop a few of the suicides altogether.

no feelings for the jumpers, people who suicide publicly want the attention, and actively seeking it. And yes JR and commuters should be reimbursed by the family, because its the job of the family to take care of people with issues.

I hope that the people who claim that suicides are "selfish" aren't the same ones who gleefully demand the death penalty for seemingly every infraction, or criticize those who meet their ends through misadventure.

Suicide isn't easy. Everything about the human psyche is wired to a survival instinct. And it's freaking horrible that a young girl and a man are so lost in darkness (caused by who knows what.. crime? rape? bankruptcy? disease?) decides to end it.

I wonder if there is a more practical and economical way of saving suicidal people instead of building barriers.

I'm certain if JR wanted to fund research into it there is a way to at least save some people. For example, some kind of radar that could detect a collision and then generate a large blast of compressed air that would deflect a jumper out of the way, potentially back onto the platform. Or instead of gates what about some kind of low cost high strength wire curtain that lowers and raises when the train has stopped.

Just a few ideas. I'm sure it is not impossible to save lives without spending more than the cost of damage done by 1000s of suicides.

Automatic gates will be cheaper than the trouble JR is having with these suicides!

Can't these people find a less disruptive way to end their suffering??? sigh.....

People just love to suicide in Japan...no disrespect but comparing the death by suicide ratio with population, what is Japan's world ranking? Any available data? Guess should be sitting pretty top on table with suicides and infanticides!!!

If I was a policy maker on the issue of suicide.. etc. I would try to put an emphasis on the individual rather than the impact of their suicide. Attack the root cause and try to divert it. Where were you when he was going through the psyche before he committed to suicide? I don't believe he just got up one day and decided.. today feels like a good day to kill myself. People around him should have noticed signs or maybe paid more attention to him. Sure.. it caused an inconvenience to society as far as schedule conflicts.. and traumatizing witnesses... but rather than taking responsibility to divert the issue.. i guess it's easier to say.. you should've done it by yourself at home. Where's your morality? Rather than say.. priority of responsibilities lies first in the individual to seek help... second to close family, friends and co workers... then it's society's responsibility. If it's an issue of disrupting society.. then society should step up their efforts to ensure we help each other and exhaust all possibilities first. Unless you're willing to step up your game for change or to help.. you should probably avoid public areas yourself. Knowing things like this happens and knowing you don't want to witness anything such as this... take responsibility for your own safety and be a hermit.

Two Simple Ways to Prevent / Reduce the Amount of Train Related Suicides

Have the trains coast into the platform at a slower speed - 10-15kph. Have the media replace the words "instantly" with "screaming and convulsing in agony"

Japan sees over 30,000 suicides a year. That's over 90 per day, and train jumping is one of the most popular methods. The state of suicide in Japan is news, but not this, this is a daily occurrence. How about we talk about how to prevent train suicides, or suicides in general?

Seems to me that instead of barriers maybe a decent health care system would be better value for money.

I'm not sure why buggerlugs got a thumbs down because it seems like a pretty sensible suggestion to me. I assume by 'a decent health care system' he means more availability of MENTAL health care specialists (i.e. psychologists, psychiatrists etc.) which would definitely help some suicidal people. But first Japan has to dissolve the stigma that people feel about 'asking for help'.

caused by who knows what.. crime? rape? bankruptcy? disease?

I think you forgot a BIG one: depression.

Zen.. I think depression is the result of.. crime.. rape.. bankruptcy and disease? and is the precursor to suicide.

step one... two.. three.

@disillusioned. Re-read what I wrote, take a moment to think in my words. MAYBE if the family wasn't forced to pay for these jumpers they would choose a different method of suicide. MAYBE if its because they are angry and knowing their family will have to pay is why they do it!! I don't care how inconvenienced you were, a person died and was at such a point in their mental state that they thought this was the only way for them. Yes they are selfish and weak, but where the hell were their so called friends, guardians?? I bet most people in shinjuku that night saw "some guy" standing on the platform, maybe he stood there as a couple of trains passed, cold and humourless commutors pushing passed "jyama omai" would probably be heard a few times then he decides this is it.... I think suicide is the stupid way, the cowards way but some people aren't strong or they've been beaten down so many times that one day they stay down. Help these people!! Maybe say a kind word like "you ok?" And mean it when you see someone looking down. You never know you may save a life.

@zen. Yeah. You got what I meant, as have others here. Get to the root and to do that you must change the way of thinking. Mrs buggerlugs asked me last night if it was something to do with the fact first names are not used. Kind of stunned me but thinking on it using only family names does kind of lack emotion, in England the family name is only used by angry teacher "buggerlugs, run round the playing field 5 times!!" I know this is not a good theory but...

Ps. I got the thumbs down because people would rather blame than actually take a moment to think of someone else.

I just can't bring myself to be angry or scornful hearing about a person jumping in front of a train. Too sad.

If those doors help prevent it, then I say put them in now. Ishihara took up a donation for some islands, and I'm sure they're spending millions on trying to get the Olympics. Or how about using the money that they want to spend on advertising about Senkaku in newspapers.

Suicide and bullying are two things that we need to address in this country. Haven't been many suicides on Senkaku recently, so why no focus on this problem. 30,000 is too many.

The family of suicide victims are no longer any obligation to pay any fines and if JR or anyone else keeps asking it is against the law.

Tokiyo

No it isn't, no need to demean the views of others either. Aren't you just as comfy in your little armchair? There are ways to off yourself with out traumatizing others. Publicly offing yourself is nothing short of being completely selfish.

Well, this is an opinion sharing forum and I'm well within my rights to disagree. And I will.

The overwhelming sentiment I take from you, and comments like yours is; "I don't care", which is to say; "I don't care about you". And if you look at how common that sentiment is here on this board, then multiply it by a factor to get it to societal proportions, it's little wonder that so many people kill themselves. It's also little wonder some of them just step off a train platform at peak hour, because if nobody cares about them and the terrible pain they are going through, why should they care about you in their moment of reckoning? You see, not caring about others, and showing no compassion for the suffering of others is like a cancer that rots at the heart of society. To have no inclination or ability to show any empathy for the terrible pain, suffering and internal struggle that people like this go through, is quite appalling. Because, in different circumstances, there goes you.

Maybe LEGALIZING SUICIDES, kind of like back in ancient Rome, you would go to a court, tell them why you want to take your life, if the court deemed it reasonable then I think they would give you a couple of choices on how to do it and that was that, no messing around with jumping in front of trains etc..well I guess ancient Rome did not have any trains, but I guess you all get the point. As some folk point out, if somebody, Japanese etc...really want to die, take their own lives, almost no way in hell to stop them so time to legalize suicides NOW!

@Betraythetrust!

Just what I was thinking about. Everybody here seem to know just how your family has to pay for this and that and her mother... Reality is, of course, no one knows how the system works.

I can't imagine there is actually a law stipulating that failies if jumpers have to pay. Instead, as with many things here, it is probably a form of "sorry" or "shame" money. As for the other urban myth, that train emplyees have to clean up human remains... Come on. Who believes that? Perhaps they help sealing off the area before the police and coroner comes and perhaps they even wash off some blood after but there is no way in hell they pick up body parts. Forget about it.

On a final note: who cares if some commuters get home a little late (or even have to take a taxi. Oh, the horror!). I feel bad for the jumpers family, especially the school girl's ones. Must be horrible to get that message...

I love how many of you actually care about virtual likes/dislikes. Come on, ppl, "I got a tumbs down, boohoo."

Sorry, been thru enough depressions in my family and myself, really depressed people dont do it publicly. Jumping in front of moving train requires quite a lot of courage and will.

The ones that do ,do it to show and express certain feelings and yes its as selfish as it can get.

I think people confuse inability to communicate issues with depression, it aint the same thing, and yes inability to communicate is family fault!

Maybe say a kind word like "you ok?" And mean it when you see someone looking down.

Definitely.

Instead of those empty "Genkiiiii?!" that don't mean squat...

@Alex Einz

Jeez, man, you come across as incredibly insensitive. To me. Perhaps "depression" are different things/feelings to different people? Don't you think? Did you actually know these people? Because if you didn't, how can you possibly talk about how they felt and their reasons for ther suicides...?

What kind of country am I living in? Only 1 or 2 posters make any reference to the fact that one of the suicides was a 16yr old girl.. most people are more concerned with whether their evenings were disrupted and who should pay.

It's really sad reading this kind of news. I still wonder why many japanese are committing suicide nowadays.

I pity the family and the young teenage girl and wearing her school uniform when she decided to end her life just like that. Could be another case of Bullying?

If it is true, Shame on you JR. Why ask the family to pay for the damages. You have to think of a way to avoid people jumping from your platforms instead of charging the families of the victim.

＠Tamarama

and I too, shall respectfully disagree. You may think what you will of my comments but make no mistake it's not because "I don't care." How that even translates to "I don't care about you" is beyond me.

Frankly, people have a lot to care about, friends, family, the immediate circle of people around them. I think that is compassion plenty. We can do more for them in times of their suffering than we can to a stranger.

Yes, kindness from strangers is nice but if you are in your 30's and feel like you have no one to turn to, one has got to reevaluate oneself.

oh yeah, the trick to preventing suicide in japan is for the gov't to admit there is a problem. thanks for pointing that out JT posters. i'm sure that will magically stop people from commiting suicide.

@Alex Einz

Sorry, been thru enough depressions in my family and myself, really depressed people dont do it publicly. Jumping in front of moving train requires quite a lot of courage and will.

The ones that do ,do it to show and express certain feelings and yes its as selfish as it can get.

I think people confuse inability to communicate issues with depression, it aint the same thing, and yes inability to communicate is family fault!

Wow, man, your rush to generalize and judge, combined with the shallow nature of your understanding of depression and suicide are truly amazing. Sure hope you don't work in the mental health field.

Sorry, been thru enough depressions in my family and myself, really depressed people dont do it publicly. Jumping in front of moving train requires quite a lot of courage and will.

The ones that do ,do it to show and express certain feelings and yes its as selfish as it can get.

I think people confuse inability to communicate issues with depression, it aint the same thing, and yes inability to communicate is family fault!

(Correction of quoted portion)

Zen.. I think depression is the result of.. crime.. rape.. bankruptcy and disease? and is the precursor to suicide.

step one... two.. three.

@Tawnchan: There are lots of causes of depression and I believe that the person's inability to fit into society or having given up trying to fit into society is often the cause. My best friend killed himself 4 years ago because he was disowned by his father (longer, more complicated story of course which I won't go into here and now) and I was angry for a long time because I wondered why nobody was able to help him (or why he did not seek out more help himself). It was then that I realized that suicide is often a result of society (but something which can be treated medically/biologically too in some cases) and the world's failure to provide something meaningful to people and its inability to accommodate to the various types of people in the world.

And so on one hand, we will never be able to eradicate suicide completely from the world - never - BUT if we are able to more widely offer services (and this is my main point) to people like this poor young girl or man, then we might just have a CHANCE of stopping them before they jump. Help them find NEW meaning in a life which they have come to perceive as meaningless or not worth living any more, for whatever reason.

@Victoria Maude.

Thank you for giving a very personal insight on what these people may have been going through. In my original post, I was going to add that surely there was someone who could help a 16yr old, someone she could turn to... teenagers generally have little or no life experience and I guess it can be difficult to see how things can get better in the future if they feel there is no way out right now... I guess they maybe don't even realise that there may be someone who can help.

With all due respect to the 30yr old, while any suicide is tragic, I'm sure that he would have been more aware of other options, people who could have helped if he wanted them to, so maybe from his point of view, he made a more rational decision to end his life.. but from my point of view, for a teenager with their whole life ahead of them to commit suicide is the most tragic of all.

I don't know if anything similar exists in Japan, but in the UK a phone line called 'Child Line' was set up years ago, a free-phone service where kids could call up with any problems they had and someone would try to help them.. some of the 'problems' may have seemed trivial to adults, such as a break-up or falling out with a best friend, but when you're 16, I guess this can be very traumatic in the grand scheme of things. If something like that does exist here, then great, I hope they are making themselves known, (I'm fairly new to Japan, don't watch much TV and don't understand Kanji yet, so I wouldn't know!), but I'd be amazed if anything similar wasn't in place.

The train companies should have to pay back the train fairs to the passengers who have their ride disrupted, or pay for taxis. At the moment, all they do is say sorry over and over and over and over again. That doesn't give them an incentive to put up barriers on platforms etc. Hit them in the pocket and they'll do something.

Then the selfish idiots will have to kill themselves at home and not inconvenience thousands of people because they're too weak to sort their lives out.

Wow! Eppee, you're so right. Everyone is talking about loss of revenue and inconvenience, but think about the two lives that were wasted. A young girl still in her uniform? Sad, but she must have had a reason in her own mind. Folks, millions of people need counseling, not criticism. Everyone loses. Sad story.

So sad I could not force myself to conclude the story written. Japan when? when? SO OBVIOUS! Itai da-mo shiyawase ni narei.

VERY PREDICTABLE DIS SUCKS!

What kind of country am I living in? Only 1 or 2 posters make any reference to the fact that one of the suicides was a 16yr old girl...

@singaporesaint:

This story was updated. It was originally about the man who jumped at Shinjuku station. The news of the teenaged girl was added later.

@singaporesaint - just an FYI - there are few comments on the teenager because the original article was only about the guy who jumped in Shinjuku. JT updated the article to include the girl later on but 40 or 50 comments had already been posted.

@zen

I agree with you 100% I was being a smart ass with the comment to you.

JR could start putting people up as suicide prevention watches. Nothing like this can ever be "magically" dealt with, but we can definitely put in measures to deter it. Doing something is better than doing nothing. Preventitive measures should be taken not after the fact.

Of course its selfish, its their life they are ending... how many times do we hear about random homicides? Would all you negative people prefer these people to run about killing others instead?

zichiOct. 04, 2012 - 06:24PM JST

A very heartless comment, guess you don't have your own kids?

And you didn't read the second post that explains why that's important.

The point of lost time and money is to show that there is no reason why JR should not add gates that open only when a train has stopped at the station. Marunouchi line and Ginza line already have them in most places, and they would cost far less to install and maintain than the amount lost in a single year due to suicides on tracks. No sense in bringing pity into the equation when it hasn't made a difference in the last few years.

affecting more than 110,000 affecting 36,000 passengers.

Lol!!!! What about... "affecting the family of the of those pour people which jump to their own death..." A teenage girl jumped to her death, who cares about the passengers which had to wait for 40 min...

A teenage girl jumped to her death, who cares about the passengers which had to wait for 40 min...

How many of those passengers missed the death of a parent or the birth of their child? Missed a flight home to see a one love receive an award, graduate or go to a wedding? You make the assumption that only the person and life of the person who is dead is affected. It isn't. It has a knock on effect that may change lives for many. I feel for the families of those who have died but you also have to think of those innocent passengers who are also affected.

I hear they're going to install barriers on the Gotanda platform by 2014. Too late for the schoolgirl.

i saw an old man jump on the tracks in shinagawa. He was well dressed, waited for the train, jump on the track, rolled over, then tried to stood and then looked at the train driver in the eye while he waited for the train to hit him. I was not ready with a camera. It was a photoshop moment....

Why jump ?

it really disturbs me how this story always references how many commuters were 'affected'. a girl just killed herself, get a damn taxi..

yeah get a taxi and should you be living inTakao, thats around 20,000 yen. Easy for you to say...

Butterfly effect, a train is delayed, a person is late for work, they are stressed out, they get fired, they commit suicide. No one knows what effects can be occur negative or positive from an event such as this.

zichiOct. 04, 2012 - 09:59PM JST

your words which can only express you heartless comment.

I specifically stated that the numbers serve to show that JR has no reason not to implement safety measures in the form of automatic gates.

It's selfish cause he only trying to end whatever in life is suffering him and he'll go to hell to suffer more so no difference. But religion aside if you ever witness this, it is not.. and Ima say again, it is not a good thing to view.

does the person killing themselves think of anyone else?

I imagine they think constantly about all the people who are driving them to suicide: the jeers, the snipes, the ostracism, the people pushing that square peg into the round hole for years on end... You think suicide happens in complete isolation?

do they not have counselers in japan? no amount of depresson is worth your life.

People who commit suicide are not in the best state of mind; it is unlikely they consider unintended consequences of their action (such as inconveniencing others' lives or disruting the transporation system). As already mentioned, there's always the possibility their motivation to commit the act was a DESIRE to disrupt. Obvioulsy society must try to understand what drives people to such acts. All I've read here are peple jumping to conclusion based on ZERO information.

As far as having family pay damages, that's just unreasonable until it is proven family were a causal factor, knew it was going to happen, and did not act to prevent it. And what do you mean by "family"? Parents? Foster parents? Siblings? Cousins, too? How about a brother who is overseas at University? Obachan in a nursing home?

The point is, if anyone is going to be assessed fines then they must be proven "guilty" of having caused the event and/or not preventing it. Due process, with a touch of compassion.

I think it's insane that families are responsible to pay damages in the event of a suicide. As if they have any control over this stuff.

Even assuming a family was actively trying to help support a distressed family member, professional counselors will tell you that people who are serious about offing themselves can't be helped by a pat on the back. They usually require professional help, medication and other means to get back on track. If anybody should be held responsible, it's a government who has yet to actively combat the negative stereotype of depression and mental illness.

Having said all that, I bet the taxi driving crew must love it when this happens.

Sad when the last recourse is taking your own life.

I'm no expert but I'd bet that suicide by jumping in front of a train is usually an act of extreme dispair and desperation. It's tragic. You get bad news, you have to take the train somewhere and face somebody, well, step off the platform then. Tragic. I have to agree that I feel sorry for the drivers and the passers-by. A ghastly thing to see. I've been first to some grim accidents before and it leaves you emotionally drained. I'm glad I've never had to see this. And I used the Chuo line a lot. It's so sad.

Wow that is a terrible life to end it in front of a train

According to Japanese news the girl 's reason for commiting suicide was due to "bulling". All you people saying their family should pay the people affected by don't actually think for a minute before spewing a lot of crap out of their mouths. First of all Big deal you got to work 45 mins late (most of you would rather be home than working) so a bonus for you - extra free time to sleep on the trains. Also the only reason JR made this rule that jumper's family have to pay is not because they care about the people being affected by this, it's because they care about the money that is not going into their pockets for the time that the trains have to be on a stand still and no commuters ridding the trains. Why don't we get the bullies parents pay a part of the JR fine and make the bullies known to the public so then everyone will know what terrible devils these kids are. But nooooo they would probably get a slap on the wrist and go onto another school and do the same crap. Pretty sad system if you ask me.

@monolocco

don't actually think for a minute before spewing a lot of crap out of their mouths.

People have their right to opinions. Maybe you should think a minute before spewing yours.

Plus, it is a big deal, one life gone, yes, sad - but life goes on, we can't be compassionate for everyone. Putting down the thousands affected because "its an added bonus" is ridiculous - you go ride one at rush hour try and catch a wink in there. And the people affected are the one's defecating from their mouths...

Thumbs down for pointing how others are affected by this? Whatever folks. Perhaps you'll be subjected to seeing such a thing and remember only thinking of those that kill themselves, not the other victims.

Funny that some people here care more about being made late on the train because some body was too despondent and commits suicide, but those same folk go on and on that they are ANTI DEATH PENALTY???

Elbuda MexicanoOct. 05, 2012 - 02:59PM JST

Funny that some people here care more about being made late on the train because some body was too despondent and commits suicide

Funny thing is that JR continues to ignore the secondary effects of not installing gates on their platforms like most subway stations now have, considering how much time and money would be saved by it.

Marie, some people were made late home, some people had to get taxis, some poor people witnessed it happening. However two people here lost their lives, were pushed to it either by the cruelty of their peers or goodness knows what worries, and you are thinking of yourself and people inconvenienced? Ild prefer to think of the families of those involved and hearing that it is bullying yet again that drives a child to take their own life, be very thankful that I have the means and wherewithal to homeschool mine.

El, who is saying they care more - if that was directed at me, you better go back and read my posts again. People aren't just late when this happens, they miss things that may have a knock on affect for the rest of their lives. If your mother was on her deathbed in Mexico and you were on your way to catch a flight and you missed your flight due to a jumper and you mom died minutes before you got there, how would you feel?

On a final note: who cares if some commuters get home a little late (or even have to take a taxi. Oh, the horror!). I feel bad for the jumpers family, especially the school girl's ones. Must be horrible to get that message...

and

However two people here lost their lives, were pushed to it either by the cruelty of their peers or goodness knows what worries, and you are thinking of yourself and people inconvenienced? Ild prefer to think of the families of those involved

Why should we feel sorry for the jumpers family? The jumper obviously didn't care. Also, people can end up missing job interviews or all kinds of things that can really have a big effect on their lives. I had a friend who's husband was hit by a car and was critically injured and in hospital, she got the phone call from the police at hospital while she was on a train, a few minutes later the train was stopped in-between stations because some idiot jumped in front of the train in front of hers. She was stuck in there for over an hour and her husband died 20 minutes before she managed to get to the hospital.

I'm sick of people saying that you're a cold heartless person if you complain about people throwing themselves in front of trains and making you late! If it was up to me, they'd just hose the train and tracks down and carry on until the trains stop running at night to clear the rest up. Yeah, they need help, but if they don't choose to get help, that's their problem. Don't make it mine by jumping in front of a train and making me late.

People who kill themselves this way should go buy a rope and hang themselves at home or something.

this is a small piece from big cake. each year 32-34 thousands people die in Japan by committing suicide. imagine how many attempts take place..50 k? And why are the highly developed countries at the peak of self-murder deaths!!! WHY?

Let's start erecting plexiglas walls or barriers at the edge of the platforms.

I mean seriously, if you want to kill yourself fine, but dont do it near me. dont do it in public.

Mark BradleyOct. 04, 2012 - 01:17PM JST ...For example, some kind of radar that could detect a collision and then generate a large blast of compressed air that would deflect a jumper out of the way, potentially back onto the platform.

Mark - I can't get your "Radar - Air Blast" suicide avoidance system idea out of my head. One second I'm despondent, standing on the track waiting to be pulverized by the train, and the next, I'm blasted by compressed air back onto unto the platform.

I'm thinking an air blast powerful enough to blow an adult body out of the way of a speeding train might cause as much carnage as the train itself, and probably more collateral damage. Anyway, I give you much credit for imagination, that's for sure.