'Covid and suicide: Japan's rise a warning to the world?'

[BluesRunTheGame]

Interesting BBC article:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-55837160

Key quotes:

- In 2020, for the first time in 11 years, suicide rates in Japan went up. Most surprising, while male suicides fell slightly, rates among women surged nearly 15%

- In one month, October, the female suicide rate in Japan went up by more than 70%, compared with the same month in the previous year

- Japan used to have the highest suicide rate in the developed world. Over the last decade it has had great success in reducing suicide rates by around a third

***

- This pattern of female suicides is very, very unusual

- The thing about the coronavirus pandemic is the industries hit most are industries staffed by women, such as tourism and retail and the food industries

- A lot of women are not married anymore... They have to support their own lives and they don't have permanent jobs. So, when something happens, of course, they are hit very, very hard

***

- One month really stands out. In October last year, 879 women killed themselves. That is more than 70% higher than the same month in 2019

- On 27 September last year, a very famous and popular actress named Yuko Takeuchi was found dead at her home. It was later reported that she had taken her own life

- From the day the news of a celebrity suicide is reported, the number of suicides increases and stays that way for about 10 days

- This phenomenon is not unique to Japan, and it is one reason why reporting on suicide is so difficult

***

- If this is happening in Japan, with no strict lockdowns, and relatively few Covid deaths, then what is happening in other countries where the pandemic is much worse?

 

[WornOutLife]

I'm a fan of Japan and I always get surprised about the fact that it's one of the countries with most suicides in the whole world!!!!
I guess the system pressure of working as a slave is a disadvantage.
Still, they have such an amazing culture! I wish people were so well-mannered in Argentina lol.

 

[Nolen]

There are a lot of things I admire about Japan but the things I heard about the working culture and that the pressure already starts early on in school (same with Korea) I always wondered how the people cope with that I probably wouldn't survive a day in that environment.

 

[BluesRunTheGame]

I always wondered how the people cope with that I probably wouldn't survive a day in that environment.

I'd probably turn into this:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hikikomori

(As if I'm not basically that here in England anyway...)

 

[WornOutLife]

I'd probably turn into this:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hikikomori

(As if I'm not basically that here in England anyway...)

I used to be a hikikomori last year!( aka NEET,shut-in)
There's even a great anime about it called "WELCOME TO NHK". I highly recommend it!

 

[Nolen]

I'd probably turn into this:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hikikomori

(As if I'm not basically that here in England anyway...)

Yeah also arrived at that stage somewhat but it's more internal than external factors.

 

[BluesRunTheGame]

Yeah also arrived at that stage somewhat but it's more internal than external factors.

Oh don't get me wrong; I've been mostly shut-in and unemployed for two years 'cause of depression, long before any lockdowns...

 

[Nolen]

Oh don't get me wrong; I've been mostly shut-in and unemployed for two years 'cause of depression, long before any lockdowns...

Ah yes that's what I understood, no what I meant was that even with a healthy mind living in a society like Japan with this much external pressure would bring me to my braking point.

 

[EmbraceOfTheVoid]

There are a lot of things I admire about Japan but the things I heard about the working culture and that the pressure already starts early on in school (same with Korea) I always wondered how the people cope with that I probably wouldn't survive a day in that environment.

I don't think people cope or they wouldn't have had the highest suicide rate in the world. All of the forced and almost militaristic structure that kids are subjected to from a young age seems extremely toxic and stressful. I read a reddit post a while back of someone that lived there and they claimed that people are often expected/obligated to spend time with their boss & coworkers even after their work hours leaving little time for anything else.

 

[esoterispeec]

Interesting BBC article:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-55837160

Key quotes:

- In 2020, for the first time in 11 years, suicide rates in Japan went up. Most surprising, while male suicides fell slightly, rates among women surged nearly 15%

- In one month, October, the female suicide rate in Japan went up by more than 70%, compared with the same month in the previous year

- Japan used to have the highest suicide rate in the developed world. Over the last decade it has had great success in reducing suicide rates by around a third

***

- This pattern of female suicides is very, very unusual

- The thing about the coronavirus pandemic is the industries hit most are industries staffed by women, such as tourism and retail and the food industries

- A lot of women are not married anymore... They have to support their own lives and they don't have permanent jobs. So, when something happens, of course, they are hit very, very hard

***

- One month really stands out. In October last year, 879 women killed themselves. That is more than 70% higher than the same month in 2019

- On 27 September last year, a very famous and popular actress named Yuko Takeuchi was found dead at her home. It was later reported that she had taken her own life

- From the day the news of a celebrity suicide is reported, the number of suicides increases and stays that way for about 10 days

- This phenomenon is not unique to Japan, and it is one reason why reporting on suicide is so difficult

***

- If this is happening in Japan, with no strict lockdowns, and relatively few Covid deaths, then what is happening in other countries where the pandemic is much worse?

Suicide rates are rising globally.

 

[GarageKarate07]

Interesting BBC article:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-55837160

Key quotes:

- In 2020, for the first time in 11 years, suicide rates in Japan went up. Most surprising, while male suicides fell slightly, rates among women surged nearly 15%

- In one month, October, the female suicide rate in Japan went up by more than 70%, compared with the same month in the previous year

- Japan used to have the highest suicide rate in the developed world. Over the last decade it has had great success in reducing suicide rates by around a third

***

- This pattern of female suicides is very, very unusual

- The thing about the coronavirus pandemic is the industries hit most are industries staffed by women, such as tourism and retail and the food industries

- A lot of women are not married anymore... They have to support their own lives and they don't have permanent jobs. So, when something happens, of course, they are hit very, very hard

***

- One month really stands out. In October last year, 879 women killed themselves. That is more than 70% higher than the same month in 2019

- On 27 September last year, a very famous and popular actress named Yuko Takeuchi was found dead at her home. It was later reported that she had taken her own life

- From the day the news of a celebrity suicide is reported, the number of suicides increases and stays that way for about 10 days

- This phenomenon is not unique to Japan, and it is one reason why reporting on suicide is so difficult

***

- If this is happening in Japan, with no strict lockdowns, and relatively few Covid deaths, then what is happening in other countries where the pandemic is much worse?

Good find Blue. Good job sharing! ❤

 

[SuicidallyCurious]

Difference between most countries and japan is there the rat race actually produces something functional. In US you could work full time or more at a high pay job but you're still denied basic modern conveniences like safe , visually pleasing neighborhoods and good healthcare. In japan they are burned out and stressed but the civilization is functional. However you can see the system cracking there , decay is setting in somewhat it shows itself most in the form of empty homes

quality of life there is higher than most of US and europe. Pollution is relatively low , even rural areas are relatively walkable and violent crime is basically nonexistent though there are sometimes spree killings usually with a knife. They don't have the insane culture of casual drug use found in the US though alcoholism seems a problem.

I think the CTB rate there has more to do with old cultural influences than the stress of the modern rat race. As OP mentioned the CTB rate is actually in a long downtrend. The youth in japan now are benefiting from some demographic trends. As the Japanese boomers are leaving the labor force there are few replacements and the unemployment rate is basically 0 because the LDP refuses to let in massive third world immigration like US does. Personally I prefer US immigration system but I wouldn't want to apply it to japan, japan is out of room whereas US isn't

So the Japanese youth are having a japan with less population induced stress . The jobs may not pay well but at least they can get one. However the taxes are constantly being raised to help pay for the boomers pensions , the VAT went up recently and it had been raised even before that I believe .

US rat race - earn 100k a year to live in sh1thole neighborhood with no coherent culture , crime , or if you're lucky a suburb where no one talks to each other and gets angry over grass clippings and what color door you have that is not in compliance with HOA

japan rat race - make 50k yr, live in safe community with affordable mass transit , be in downtown metro area osaka Kyoto fukuoka Tokyo within an hour or two almost anywhere in the country. Many natural areas to visit. No "unruly teenagers" as they are called in US ready to jack you infront of 711. No homes barred up . Infrastructure is well kept with infrastructure constantly repaved. Yes there was Fukushima and the response was botched but unfortunately Japanese leaders didn't chose to put the nation on that fault line

 

[Blue Rose]

Surely I am sure that there have been too many immoderate competitions in my country(South Korea)
If you refuse any kind of competition of to fight against your rivals in SK, or to harm other for your bread,
the reward and price will be horrible and cruel. I have undergone that.

But I could manage to live on anyway, I don't like my country, but I acknowledge that SK is not the worst country on this world so.
Japan started to pay for their faults and the rest countries will do also. This world is too cruel to live with sanity.

Yeah also arrived at that stage somewhat but it's more internal than external factors.

I am from South Korea, and I resonate your words so.
There is a proverb in my country, Your failure in your society means your fatality.

Yes. I had to bear severe pressure, it contributed to my severe depression to some extend.
Anyway you can manage to live without this insane competitions against your rivals on my land,
But the reward and price will be cruel and terrible.

I don't think people cope or they wouldn't have had the highest suicide rate in the world. All of the forced and almost militaristic structure that kids are subjected to from a young age seems extremely toxic and stressful. I read a reddit post a while back of someone that lived there and they claimed that people are often expected/obligated to spend time with their boss & coworkers even after their work hours leaving little time for anything else.

Yes, I could not cope and I became suicidal(From South Korea).
Even there are many reasons for my CTB, surely my cruel society contributed to make myself suicidal somewhat.

Yes, I had to satisfy the strict standards of my society and expectations of my parents. It was extremely painful.
Anyway my government focuses on censoring websites, preventing people from CTB actively.
But the suicide rates in SK is sticking to its high position.

 

[SuicidallyCurious]

Surely I am sure that there have been too many immoderate competitions in my country(South Korea)
If you refuse any kind of competition of to fight against your rivals in SK, or harm other for your bread,
the reward and price will be horrible and cruel. I have undergone that.

But I could manage to live on anyway, I don't like my country, but I acknowledge that SK is not the worst country on this world so.
Japan started to pay for their faults and the rest countries will do also. This world is too cruel to live with sanity


I am from South Korea, and I resonate your words so.
There is a proverb in my country, Your failure in your society means your fatality.

Yes. I had to bear severe pressure, it contributed to my severe depression to some extend.
Anyway you can manage to live without this insane competitions against your rivals on my land,
But the reward and price will be cruel and terrible.



Yes, I could not cope and I became suicidal(From South Korea).
Even there are many reasons for my CTB, surely my cruel society contributed to make myself suicidal somewhat.

Yes, I had to satisfy the strict standards of my society and expectations of my parents. It was extremely painful.
Anyway my government focuses on censoring websites, preventing people from CTB actively.
But the suicide rates in SK is sticking to its high position.

Ultra Competitive Samsung CEO amassed 20 billion USD before Death in oct 2020. He is now literal wormfood - worms are eating him. They are gnawing at his corpse and there is absolutely nothing his family or anyone on earth can do about it

The East Asian countries are really stressful. Sometimes I feel they are the most cheated people in the earth , they work hard and prop up the US and European standard of living due to manipulated currencies designed to enrich the elite in their own countries and lower cost for western consumers. And in the medium term future many people speculate the East Asian countries will be economically dominant ... but for what? Moving into an era of climatic instability no one will care if Americans and Europeans borrowed themselves and went broke and cant afford Samsungs anymore

US and European elite really seem to have run a huge con on east Asia among other places. The East Asian countries bailed out our standard of living for some 100 years since ww2 and in the end due to global warming there may be nothing to show for all the hard work,and highly educated stressed citizens

 

[Futile]

This news always gets reported in a misleading way: men's suicides still outnumber the women by far, like in any other country

 

[SuicidallyCurious]

I'm posting on this thread again because someone bumped it and I thought I could have more to add.

if you ever visit japan and use the train system, there are electronic screens inside the train that detail things like outages , stoppages , work being done, etc. probably the most common signal says in English something like "accident" or "passenger injury" I can't remember the exact wording.

most of these are actually people CTB. I think there are multiple suicides carried out each day in the Tokyo metro and almost every day there is a CTB by train

 

[greyhound]

I'm posting on this thread again because someone bumped it and I thought I could have more to add.

if you ever visit japan and use the train system, there are electronic screens inside the train that detail things like outages , stoppages , work being done, etc. probably the most common signal says in English something like "accident" or "passenger injury" I can't remember the exact wording.

most of these are actually people CTB. I think there are multiple suicides carried out each day in the Tokyo metro and almost every day there is a CTB by train

And yet they still are on time within a few seconds. They probably factor in the probability of CTB per hour when designing the train schedules.

 

[SuicidallyCurious]

And yet they still are on time within a few seconds. They probably factor in the probability of CTB per hour when designing the train schedules.

If the line is shut down due to CTB that line will not be on time or even close.

 

[GenesAndEnvironment]

Sensationalist media at it again. I'm sure Japan can handle losing less than 1000 women a month. Also a horrible and disgusting use of statistics, I'm about to throw up the super-healthy lunch I just ate.