Did you know that World Suicide Prevention Day is observed around the world every year on September 10th?
Tragically, Japan has long ranked high in worldwide suicide numbers, and there was a time when statistically, a suicide occurred in Japan every 15 minutes. Suicide is now the leading cause of death for people in Japan aged 15 to 34 years old, according to data from Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare.
Moreover, according to the University of Tokyo, in 2022, 514 teenagers and children aged 18 and under lost their lives to suicide. This was the highest number for this age group since records began in 1978.
If you travel on the extensive Tokyo rail network, you might encounter a train delay, a blip in this nation known for punctuality in all areas of life. A common cause of train delays in Tokyo is a “personal injury” incident, code word for a person who has jumped onto the path of an oncoming train. There is at least one train suicide a day in the Tokyo and greater Tokyo area.
As an international resident of Japan, these somber facts are literally “off the charts.”
Why is the suicide rate so high in Japan, especially among children and teenagers? Some of the reasons include undetected or untreated mental health challenges, broken family relationships and being the victim of physical and mental abuse, including bullying, which is one of the most virulent forms of abuse in Japan.
Shikou Ishii, the Editor in Chief of ‘Futoko Shimbun,’ a newspaper that focuses on children who refuse to attend school due to academic pressures or bullying at school, notes that the end of the long summer holiday in Japan for elementary to high school aged students is a period that sees a dramatic increase in the number of child suicides. The stressful thoughts of returning to school in September after the summer vacation drives many teens and children in Japan off the edge and sadly to suicide.
Another factor in the high suicide rates in Japan is that culturally, articulating emotions is uncommon. A ZOE Japan volunteer who worked in Japanese schools for several years encountered teachers and students struggling with mental health challenges. The main mantra of ‘support’ offered was “ganbatte” which means “do your best.” If someone suffers from mental health issues, they may feel as if it is their own problem to solve, and that seeking mental health support is regarded as shameful, since mental illness is considered a sign of weakness in Japanese culture.
Paths to prevention
Shirahama Rescue Network, a Japanese, Christian run suicide prevention NPO based in western Japan sees people coming for help with similar sentiments of feelings of shame and hopelessness. Those on the edge literally travel hundreds of miles to end their lives in the notorious ‘suicide hotspot’ of the Shirahama cliffs overlooking the ocean in this stunningly beautiful seaside town of Japan. Some of the reasons people come from so far away are to die anonymously and ‘not cause trouble’ to family and the local community where they are originally from. A ZOE Japan volunteer who traveled to this area was stunned at the fact that Japanese people would travel all the way to this truly beautiful area of ocean, mountains and beautiful sunsets, so weighed down by oppressive mental and spiritual darkness that the surrounding beauty would utterly bypass them.
The Shirahama Rescue Network does regular patrols on the cliffs to reach out to those at risk, including offering shelter and employment at the nearby church and church-run cafe and obento restaurant. In partnership with the local government, the NPO has a free rescue hotline, as well as a sign placed on the cliff’s edge with these words from the Bible: “You are precious and honored in my sight, and I love you.” (Isaiah 43:4) “Jesus said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life.” (John 8:12)
Above the free hotline telephone number, the sign goes on to say: “Please contact us before making any important decisions. We look forward to hearing from you.”
Many who had come to end their lives on the cliff's edge have been rescued and found true hope in Jesus, the Way, the Truth and the Life.
ZOE Japan staff and volunteers encounter the challenges of suicide in Japan through some of the children that reach out for help through the ZOE Japan hotline. ZOE Japan provides preventative support for at-risk children and teens who can connect with caring and trained staff able to offer help to those on the edge with a listening ear, resources and referrals, all important steps towards hope. Most of the children who contact ZOE Japan are victims of sexual exploitation, both online or physical by a family member or even a school teacher. Where resources are limited and organizations equipped to serve children experiencing sexual exploitation are few, ZOE Japan provides specialized support, raises awareness through social media campaigns for children and online educational material and seminars in communities around Japan to equip children and families that are great tools for prevention.
As Shikou Ishii of the Futoko Shimbun notes regarding at- risk children, we can be on the lookout for unusual behavior in a child and listen carefully to verbal and non verbal cues. Children send out an “SOS” in different ways such as with their words (or lack thereof), physical condition (for example being unwell or often in the nurses’ office when in school), inability to do homework, isolating themselves and spending a lot of time online.. We can all play a role in suicide prevention through awareness, being on the alert for at risk children and adults in our personal spheres, and knowing where to find good resources.
Below are some resources that we can use to play a part in suicide prevention in Japan.
Children and teen victims of sexual exploitation
ZOE Japan consultation and hotline resources
Japanese government’s mental health resources including clinics nationwide
TELL Lifeline - for the international community in Japan experiencing depression and suicidal thoughts (counseling and support available in English and Japanese)
How I Got Here (HIGH) cards developed by missionaries in Japan with a heart for suicide prevention.
The bilingual Japanese and English cards can be used in small groups, churches, schools and local communities in Japan to help articulate emotions. The goal of using the HIGH Cards is for individuals to understand themselves and how they got to where they are in life.
The cards can also help a person explain to others where they are in life and how they feel about it.
World Suicide Prevention Day - Sep 10, 2024 (World Health Organization resources)
Article Sources
Shirahama Rescue Network (Shirahama, Wakayama)
International Association for Suicide Prevention
Using deep learning to identify teens most in need of mental health support
University of Tokyo Press Release (December 2023)
Increase in child suicides in Japan (The Mainichi, August 2021)
Impact of the Japanese government’s general principles of suicide prevention policy on youth suicide from 2007 - 2022 (Cambridge University Press, December 2023)
Japan Suicide Contermeasures Promotion Center (Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare)
One every 15 minutes
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