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Woman threatens to jump from roof of building in Tokyo's Roppongi

44 Comments

A woman in her 20s sat on the edge of a roof of a building in Roppongi for 3 1/2 hours on Saturday, threatening to jump.

TV media showed the woman sitting on the edge of the 8-story building near the Roppongi intersection at about 10:30 a.m. As a crowd gathered below, firefighters set up a safety net.

At about 2 p.m., police managed to talk the woman out of jumping and she came down off the roof, TV Asahi reported.

Police said the woman appeared to be drunk and she was quoted as saying that she wanted to die because she had quarreled with her boyfriend.

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44 Comments
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At about 2 p.m., police managed to talk the woman out of jumping and she came down

Well, that's good. I wonder how the boyfriend (ex?) feels about all this.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

Another suicidal "gesture", aka a cry for help with no intention of actually killing one's self.

-12 ( +5 / -17 )

a cry for help with no intention of actually killing one's self

Rubbish and you should be happy the cops talked her out of it.

10 ( +12 / -2 )

Drunk at 10:30am? I think her problems are probably more related to alcohol abuse and not her BF.

2 ( +5 / -3 )

Another suicidal "gesture", aka a cry for help with no intention of actually killing one's self.

Maybe so, but at least she DID cry for help instead of just offing herself. I am sure her loved ones were glad and hopefully she may possibly now get the help she was crying out for. A quarrel with her boyfriend may seem a stupid reason to us, but the pain was obviously very real to her.

7 ( +7 / -0 )

I would however hope that in the future peoples cries for help are a little less dramatic. The police, fire dept and ambulance would be overrun if people here suddenly started all crying out for help in this way.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Drunk at 10:30am...

was probably an attempt to "forget" her problems with him... Which is no excuse for putting other innocent people (pedestrians) below the building) at risk...

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Foolish act!

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Rubbish and you should be happy the cops talked her out of it.

Why should "we" be happy about this? She wastes peoples' time and money, inconvenienced people all because she can't handle a fight with her boyfriend? Talk about an attention seeker who clearly has maturity problems.

-18 ( +2 / -19 )

Wonderful and compassionate response there from tmarie. Have you ever thought of becoming a full time psychiatrist? You clearly have the skills for it and you'd be able to get 60 patients an hour with your astute and caring approach. Still, as long as you're all right hey?

4 ( +6 / -2 )

At about 2 p.m., police managed to talk the woman out of jumping and she came down off the roof, TV Asahi reported.

Sorry but, since when the media is allowed to lie or distort facts? I saw the entire broadcasting and she wasn't talk out of jumping. Some cop grabbed her by the arm and a bunch more jumped on her and restrained her. She was forced out of the building by a group of men while restrained. She was drunk therefore unable to think reasonably. Have you ever heard of how they force urinal catheters to these drunks at the hospital in order to empty their bladder? After that, I'm pretty sure she won't try that again!

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

Go out with BF, get wasted, fight as you're wasted (err him hitting on other gals)...keep boozing... by noon the next day you're National news and famous. Ah... "Roppongi Roppongi" (subway announcement blurt)..

-4 ( +0 / -4 )

Heda, some people need to learn that they don't always get what they want in life and that crying about it and making threats isn't going to change that. I'm not interested in being a shrink but do call it the way I see it. If the girl was going to off herself, she would've jumped without all the drama. She didn't. She clearly wanted attention and probably hoped this would make the guy feel bad.

If I was that guy I'd be running as far away as fast as I could because they girl has issues. She can find someone to talk to about those issues instead of wasting taxpayers time and putting lives at risk. She could've hurt someone by her selfish actions. If you're happy to sooth her and tell her everything will be fine, great. I'm not. The girl needs to get her head examine and neither you nor I are in the position to do that, right?

-13 ( +0 / -12 )

So you immediately rules out any underlying mental health issue? Presumably because Japan's mental health care system is so good that anyone, anyone who reaches that point is just a cry for help? Lots of easier and safer ways of making a cry for help than standing on the edge of an 8th floor building.

But still, she's just selfish isn't she?

2 ( +4 / -2 )

And you're right, she does need her head examined an neither of us are in a position to do that. Which makes. Your original comment, your judgement and conclusion of her, so remarkable.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

And you immediately suggest she does have a mental health issue. Same thing - jumping to conclusions, no? Plenty of women at her age are over dramatic and attention seeking. Perhaps she is one of them? You want to give her the benefit of doubt? Fine. I won't.

Do you know if she even contacted someone about seeking help? You can bash the system here all you want but people here don't often try and get help. Do you know she did or are you again, jumping (pardon the pun) to conclusions?

And yes, she is selfish. If you want to off yourself, go to a forest and do it, not a popular place where families and kids are and where you put others are risk.

-9 ( +0 / -9 )

Lots of easier and safer ways of making a cry for help than standing on the edge of an 8th floor building.

Glad we agree. Perhaps she could try one next time?

-9 ( +0 / -9 )

@ Daijoboots - of course its only a gesture. If she really wanted to die, it would only take a sec to jump. Having said that, I am certainly glad she didn't. Too many people see that as an answer to their problems.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

@ OMGhontoni - I agree 100%

0 ( +0 / -0 )

I'm not saying she has mental health issues, I'm suggesting that the underlying problem should be looked into.

I'm assuming you're experienced with such issues given your comment that people here don't try to get help. You obviously seem to be an expert on the matter hence your closeminded approach to the subject. It is all black and white isn't it.

Just a cry for help, that's all.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

And no, I don't know if she asked for help. I know nothing except the nine lines written above which is why I haven't formed any conclusions.

Which begs the question, what do you know that's not in the article?

0 ( +2 / -2 )

I'm glad the distraught girl didn't jump or fall to her death, and that she was prevented from doing so, even though her reasoning was stupid. Her troubles aren't ended, though, and could actually worsen. Hopefully she gets some good, non -judgemental help and develops a positive self-esteem.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

@ tmarie - you are "spot on", and I DO have experience investigating several suicides. If somebody wants to kill their self, they usually do. This was a gesture pure and simple.

-4 ( +1 / -5 )

Why should "we" be happy about this? She wastes peoples' time and money, inconvenienced people all because she can't handle a fight with her boyfriend? Talk about an attention seeker who clearly has maturity problems.

You 'd RATHER she died? COLD!!

9 ( +9 / -0 )

Tmarie and sensei258 are so off base on this one, it's absurd. You think a person that didn't wish to die would sit on the EDGE of a building? You DO realize how easily one could fall off and die from even just a gust of wind? And of all places, Japanese society is well known for adhering to the conduct of "the peg that sticks out gets hammered down". Do you realize how many people don't cry for help when they need it here?

People usually make harsh comments when they're dealing with their own insecurities; Gay men call bully the flamboyants and call them fags, people with eating disorders bully others for being fat, etc. Tmarie, are you just upset that someone out there depressed actually got their voice heard, and you haven't? You don't wish to bother others so you stomach all your own problems and deal with them as a member of society "should", but at the cost of being bitter towards those who don't? Get help.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

Another suicidal "gesture", aka a cry for help with no intention of actually killing one's self.

While I'd much rather people got help sooner its still better that they do this as a cry for help rather than actually kill themselves. Most of the time people don't actually want to die they just want help but are afraid.

Though I think in this woman's case it was just a spur of the moment thing while drunk. Hopefully she can get the help that she requires.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

I'm not saying she has mental health issues, I'm suggesting that the underlying problem should be looked into. Why are you assuming there is a problem? She was drunk and had a fight with her boyfriend. Like I said, could easily be attention seeking behavior. YOUR the one who started talking about shrinks and the like so you are making assumptions there is some mental health issue.

You also brought up the lack of mental health care services in Japan. Why? She might not have any at all and could be looking for attention - which she got.

Are YOU experienced in such manners? You are going on about my statements and jumping to conclusions when you are doing the exact same thing regarding shrinks, me not having experience in such manners...

And yes, I DO have experience with Japanese girls who threaten to kill themselves because of a fight with their boyfriend. I would think that many people who live here for a while do as well. Which is exactly why I am suggesting this is nothing more than a little drama to try and make the guy feel bad. If she had really wanted to jump, she would have. She didn't.

You think a person that didn't wish to die would sit on the EDGE of a building? You DO realize how easily one could fall off and die from even just a gust of wind? And of all places, Japanese society is well known for adhering to the conduct of "the peg that sticks out gets hammered down". Do you realize how many people don't cry for help when they need it here?

Indeed. Plenty do such things to get attention - which IS a cry for help. Not actually an indication that they really are going to kill themselves. Women in their 20's have the highest rate of doing such things. Men tend to actually go for it. Women, will do such things like take pills and call someone, threaten to kill themselves... and not follow through. Why? Because they want the attention, they want to make someone feel bad, they want someone to talk to... Various reasons but to go on about the old "nail, hammer, Japanese culture..." such BS in such regards. Japan accepts suicide and had she really wanted to go, she would've. She didn't though, did she?

Jump, if anyone on this thread is jumping to conclusions, its you. Yes, my posting that someone is attention seeking is my way of asking for help... Please.

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

@ tmarie..... APPLAUSE !!!!

-3 ( +0 / -3 )

I haven't made any assumptions or jumped to any conclusions whatsoever. I've suggested that their might be underlying problems. The only assumption I made is that you are an expert on this subject given your complete and utter lack of compassion.

Are YOU experienced in such manners? You are going on about my statements and jumping to conclusions when you are doing the exact same thing regarding shrinks, me not having experience in such manners...

Not really sure what this point is supposed to mean. I mentioned psychiatrists because you immediately jumped to the conclusion that it was a cry for help without any further knowledge of this individual. At no point have I said that you don't have knowledge of the subject but I did say that neither of us are qualified to make any kind of diagnosis from behind the computer. Or are you actually saying that you are a capable of getting into her head for where you're sitting.

Incidentally, given that it was a cry for help, why on earth would she want to go to a forest? Can't cry for help if mooned around to hear it.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

@ jump, I've investigated several suicides, including going to their autopsies, and done several reports on suicide statistics in my career. I am making statements of facts. You need to stop talking crap and get real.

Moderator: And you need to learn some manners.

-3 ( +0 / -3 )

@sensei258 If you think you're the only one here knowledgeable on suicidal people, you're just as off base as you were in your previous comments...

tmarie, by that logic people who want to quit smoking always do, people who want to lose weight always do, people who want to start their own business or write their own novel always do. Heck I'd even go as far to say that by that logic, if a man is attracted to a woman and wants to have sex with her, he'd just rape her.

yeah- NO sorry, life doesn't work that way. There's always multiple factors to consider, and those factors were probably coming to haunt her on that ledge. If you think that ****ing ENDING YOUR LIFE is that simple, then there wouldn't even be such a thing as suicide hotlines because clearly you either "do it" or "don't", right? Wrong. You are right that statistically females tend to fail in the going-through-with-it-department. It doesn't mean that some don't eventually get it right- they do.

4 ( +5 / -1 )

Please tone down your rhetoric and do not be impolite to other readers.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

I've dealt with suicides and attempted suicides before with the lifeboat service and I can say that the majority of the time these people either had a drinking problem and made a rash decision which when they had time to think about it were glad they have survived. Or it was someone with a disorder who finally snapped after fighting depression for so long.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Jump, and with all your comments, I agree. Which is why I said it was a cry for help and attention seeking. People who want to really go through with it, do. This women, for whatever reason, wanted the attention. Be it to get help or to make her boyfriend feel bad. Hence my first comments on this thread.

-5 ( +0 / -5 )

@jump - "If you think you're the only one here knowledgeable on suicidal people, you're just as off base as you were in your previous comments..." Good that I don't think that then, isn't it. You must be the authority on suicides, 'cause apparently everyone else is wrong.

-5 ( +0 / -5 )

Readers, please keep the discussion civil.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

There's nothing normal about seeking attention by threatening to kill yourself.

There's many people who do end up eventually killing themselves, that did make suicidal gestures beforehand. It's most certainly not true that people who want to die just go ahead and do so. People don't just go “Okay, today's a pretty bad day, I think I'll go and jump off a building.” Suicide isn't that easy nor that simple. There's also many reasons why people commit suicide, such as some people think that they're a burden, and as such there is nothing selfish about their taking of their own life.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

Alcohol just gives some people the confidence to do things (good, bad, and weird things) they may not normally do. Regardless of her reasons, the situation in this case ended well. Maybe she will be successful next time but, for now, she is alive and, hopefully, thankful now she has sobered up a bit.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Once again the boozzze angle flaps her wings of mayhem.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Honestly, if she is threatening to jump off the roof of a building in Roppongi, things could be much worse...

1 ( +1 / -0 )

aww poor girl! ;___; it's because of men that women kill themselves --

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

i think most comments on this post are from people that are not aware of what roppongi is.... it's the nightlife district... and it's common that most clubs are open till 5 am and then OTHERs open till 10 am.... so what likely happened... is she was taking part of common night out thing.... partying, drinking, with friends.... and boyfriend did something stupid... they were drunk... and they argued... and she made a stupid decision.... the 10 am saturday morning alcohol... is only due to that's a COMMON time many youths leave roppongi ... drunk. stop bashing her and just be happy she is safe.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Someone will find her and give her the Love she needs... I hope and pray.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

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