Solving Suicide

by Sam Huntington

I used to drive my sensei to distraction, always asking about the suicide rate in Japan. What does it matter, she would ask. I would always argue, “It matters because young people are taking their own lives, rather than facing up to the challenges that everyone must face.” She persisted, “People who commit suicide are facing their challenges —and they are making a decision that is suitable to them. Plainly, this is none of your business —or mine.”

This was a conversation that took place in 1985. Since then, the suicide rate in Japan has only gotten worse. Every year, the suicide rate exceeds 34,000. Of these, 70% are men. Approximately 3,000 children commit suicide every year when they learn that they have failed their high school entrance examinations. Forty percent of suicides among men occur between the ages of 20—44. Suicide among Japanese women is the leading cause of death between the ages 15—34. One Japanese suicide every fifteen minutes is more than twice the frequency of suicide in the United States.



But why has the suicide rate in Japan increased since the mid-1980s? Historically, Japan is a male-dominated society with strong family ties and correlating social expectations. In the 1990s, Japan experienced a sharp economic downturn that brought an end to the “jobs-for-life” culture. Employment insecurity, and the stigma associated with unemployment left heads of families struggling with loss of face and mounting debt. In 2009, Japanese unemployment reached an unheard of 5.7%.

A related cause of suicide is the increased pressures associated with keeping one’s job. According to government analysis, fatigue from work and associated health problems, including work-related depression, were primary motives for suicide—accounting for 47% of the suicides among men in 2008. Another contributing factor is forced retirement, impacting those aged 50 or older.

One final concern is the debt of families when the primary earner has lost his job. In Japan, it is expected that one will repay his debts. It is a matter of honor. According to Japan’s National Police Agency, many suicides are inseki jisatsu (responsibility driven). When people cannot meet their obligations, they commit suicide to save face. The near-gangster like tactics used by loan companies to recoup their loans may have something to do with these high rates of suicide. It is felt that life insurance payout will help to pay off these high debts.

Here in America, the states with the lowest suicide rates are California, Hawaii, North Dakota, and Ohio. States with the highest suicide rates include West Virginia, Oregon, New Mexico, and Nevada. We struggle to understand why the variances in suicide rates in our states. For example, some argue that long, cold winters help to explain the high rates in Oregon, but no one understands why the rate in neighboring Washington is lower (although, not by much). Portland, Oregon enjoys an average of 30 days more sunshine than Seattle, but has a higher suicide rate. Moreover, some groups of Americans are more likely to commit suicide than others. Men, more than women; Protestants, wealthy people, and single people are more likely to commit suicide than are women, Catholics, Jews, the poor, and married people. Military veterans are twice more likely to commit suicide than civilians. But we do know that people with strong social ties have much lower suicide rates than people on the peripheral of mainstream society.

Returning to Japan, the number of suicides in 2012 dropped below 30,000 for the first time in fifteen years. Recall that 2012 was the year following the Tohoku earthquake and tsunami and destruction of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power facility. Everyone expected the suicide rate to skyrocket. So, what happened? For one thing, the Japanese people have finally forced their government to confront this issue. According to Professor Hisanaga Sasaki, the government is listening; they have prioritized their spending and elevated suicide prevention to a high priority. As a result, the Japanese have established co-operatives involving volunteer civic groups, health professionals, and local government officials to help reduce suicide.

I suspect that we Americans could reduce our suicide rates, as well. But no, we’ve decided to pursue a confusing, different path. Rather than finding ways to solve crises, our government has created even more stress by requiring people to enroll in a health care system that in some cases, doubles their costs. Rather than spending money to solve problems, we are spending money to create worse problems.

“Fathom the hypocrisy of a government that requires every citizen to prove they are insured, but not everyone must provide they are a citizen. And now, any of those who refuse, or are unable to prove they are citizens will receive free insurance paid for by those who are forced to buy insurance because they are citizens.” —Ben Stein