‘I Tell Them About Jesus’ Love’: As Japan’s Youth Suicide Rate Soars, Christians Offer Reason to Live by Lucille Talusan for CBN News
GNN Note – We know there are more than 100 people that commit suicide in Japan each year as that is the approximate number of bodies that are found in “suicide forest”. There is a team that roams through the forest for the specific purpose of finding the remains. This is only one incident that is widely publicized about Japan’s suicide rate.
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TOKYO – Japan is facing its highest suicide rate in 30 years among young people, according to recent government statistics. A frightening trend is the growing number of children killing themselves over bullying and school pressure.
There have been different reasons given why suicide remains so prevalent here, but Christians here say ignorance of God could be why so many desperate Japanese take their own lives.
Aiko Kudou still finds it hard to believe that her childhood friend committed suicide.
“How can he take his own life and leave behind his family in misery? He got depressed when his mother did not approve the school of his choice. He ran away from home. After three days they found him dead in a park restroom. He cut his wrist and bled to death,” Kudou recalls.
The suicide rate among young Japanese has risen to its highest level in three decades. According to the Ministry of Education, 250 elementary and high school students committed suicide last year.
Reports say, based on the suicide notes left by these kids, bullying is the top reason that pushed them to end their life.
Pastor Miyahara Tatsuhiro says, “Being part of a group is very important in our culture. And that is why, if the child is different physically, he is always bullied.”
