Suicide is a social not an individual problem: Japan in International Perspective

John Breen; Taniguchi Shoko

doi:10.1017/S1557466007021808

Suicide is a social not an individual problem: Japan in International Perspective

Published online by Cambridge University Press: 07 May 2025

John Breen and

Taniguchi Shoko

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On Saturday 25 August 2007, NHK broadcast a programme called Seishonen no jisatsu o kangaeyo [Let's reflect on youth suicide]. The programme was prompted by the National police agency's publication of new statistics on the problem of youth suicide. In 2006, 886 Japanese youths took their own lives, invariably in response to bullying. ‘Youth’ as defined by the NPA refers to primary, middle, secondary school as well as university students. The 2006 figure was the highest since records began. It comes hard on the heels of other statistics demonstrating that Japan's annual suicide figures have hit 30,000 for the 9th year in succession.

Type: Research Article
Information: Asia-Pacific Journal , Volume 5 , Issue 8 , August 2007 , e23

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/S1557466007021808 [Opens in a new window]
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