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Action plans could reduce suicide rate

(China Daily)
Updated: 2008-06-26 07:45

According to newly-released figures by the National Police Agency, more than 33,000 people committed suicide in 2007, the 10th straight year that this figure has topped 30,000.

That's a 10-year total of approximately 300,000 persons-roughly equivalent to the population of Tokyo's Shinjuku Ward. The government started to implement a series of anti-suicide measures a decade ago.

Why has nothing improved? One reason is that the government measures have been unevenly weighted toward depression, workplace-related mental heath and other personal psychological disorders.

Just before choosing death, those committing suicide may have been indeed suffering from maladies of the heart and mind. Probing deeper, however, often reveals multiple debts, overwork, bullying incidents and other social factors. Many victims become mentally unbalanced due to physical ailments. Clearly, the government action plans have not adequately explored the full background for suicide.

On that point, a white paper on anti-suicide measures compiled by the Cabinet Office for the first time last year is noteworthy. In the introduction, it frankly recognizes the errors of past policy: "There was a view (of suicide) as a personal problem," it said, adding that, "There have been few measures to help bereaved families."

People power changed this policy. Two years ago, the submission of a petition signed by 100,000 people, which was organized by bereaved family members, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and other concerned parties, prompted passage of the basic law on measures to discourage suicide-legislation introduced by Diet members. Though 10 years overdue, the central government finally took a comprehensive look at anti-suicide measures.

Local governments are already active on this front. In Akita prefecture, which has the nation's second highest suicide rate, police sound the alarm by announcing the number of suicides monthly. The prefectural government has made appeals to heads of cities, towns, villages and assemblies, resulting in action plans by all municipalities. Gifu prefecture enlisted the help of volunteers to give a series of free consultation sessions for multiple debtors at public facilities.

There is also an NGO that has sponsored a series of bereaved family member support symposiums in all 47 prefectures. Obviously, the fruits of these efforts will not emerge overnight. Even in Finland, which adopted countermeasures based on meticulous fact-finding surveys of bereaved families, it took 10 years to lower the national suicide rate by 30 percent.

The NPA announced a detailed analysis of reasons for the very first time, breaking down the data by age and occupation. Each prefecture should be able to gather information on reasons that are often cited in its own prefecture and press related agencies to hammer out effective steps.

The Asahi Shimbun

(China Daily 06/26/2008 page9)