Record student suicides in 2008

BY FUKUKO TAKAHASHI

THE ASAHI SHIMBUN

2009/11/18

A record 972 students, from elementary school age through university level, took their lives in 2008, the highest number since the government began compiling data in 1978. The figure was an increase of 99 over the previous year.

According to an annual government white paper released Tuesday, student suicides rose 11.3 percent from 2007. The number of such suicides has been on the rise since 2003.

Only the pupil-student cohort recorded an increase in suicides in 2008, according to statistics broken down by occupation, such as salaried worker, self-employed or jobless.

Overall, there were 32,249 suicides in 2008, down 844 from the year before.

The figure topped 30,000 for the 11th consecutive year, with a peak of 34,427 suicides in 2003.

Among pupils and students whose motives were identified, 337 killed themselves over school-related problems, including poor academic performance and difficulties in career choice. Depression and other health-related issues were cited in 284 cases.

Eighty-one killed themselves because of family problems. In these cases, multiple causes were cited for a suicide.

According to the study, children victimized by bullies often committed suicide. One suicide sometimes triggered more suicides among their peers.

To address the issue, the report called for the creation of a framework which would give children easy access to someone with whom they could discuss their concerns.

Juvenile suicides accounted for 3 percent of the total.

By occupation, the jobless, at 18,279, accounted for 56.7 percent of the total.

They were followed by salaried workers at 8,997, or 27.9 percent, and self-employed people at 3,206, or 9.9 percent.

By age, people in their 50s made up the largest group, with 6,363 suicides, or 19.7 percent. They were followed by people in their 60s, with 5,735 suicides, or 17.8 percent, and those in their 40s, with 4,970, or 15.4 percent.

About four in 10 suicides committed by men aged between 40 and 59 were over economic and livelihood problems, according to the report.

(IHT/Asahi: November 18,2009)