Japan draws up guidelines to cut suicide rate

TOKYO, June 9 (Reuters) Japan set a target for cutting its suicide rate, one of the highest among industrial nations, by more than 20 perc ent over the next decade.

The number of suicides each year has been stuck above 30,000 for nearly a decade, and the problem was underscored when the nation's scandal-plagued farm minister hanged himself late last month hours before he was to face questioning in parliament.

To achieve its goal of reducing the suicide rate from 24.2 per 100,000 people in 2005 to 19.4 by 2016, the government plans a wide range of steps to deal with issues such as an ageing society, unemployment and overwork.

''Up until now, government suicide prevention policies have focused mostly on mental health, but now we're going to take a good look at all aspects of society,'' said an official yesterday at the Cabinet Office, which released an outline of the measures.

Suicides are rising among both the elderly and youth, according to police figures issued on Thursday, which showed the number of those who took their own lives was above 30,000 for the ninth straight year.

The new guidelines call for the first time for separate policies for different age groups, with particular attention being paid to young people and the elderly.

Policies to deal with unemployment and financial problems, a major cause of death among middle-aged men, were also urged.

Experts welcomed the guidelines, saying the government now appears more serious about tackling the issue.

''This is only the second time the government has issued broad guidelines on suicide prevention, and the first since 2002,'' said Yukio Saito, who heads a suicide hotline called Inochi no Denwa, or Phones of Life.

''This time the guidelines are much more comprehensive and give us a framework to work with. It's a very good forward step.'' The number of people who killed themselves fell to 32,155 last year after hitting a record 34,427 in 2003, according to statistics compiled by the National Police Agency.

But there was an alarming jump in suicides among junior high school students, which rose to 81, up 23 per cent.

Police blamed the rise on school bullying.

The overall decline was attributed to Japan's economic upturn, with police data showing the number of those who killed themselves due to financial woes fell.

The major cause was health concerns.

Japan has one of the highest suicide rates for industrial nations. Experts say that is due partly to an absence of religious prohibitions against suicide as well as a custom of taking one's own life to save loved ones from embarrassment or take responsibility for failure or disgrace.

In 2000, Japan's suicide rate was 24.1 per 100,000 according to the World Health Organisation, second in the Group of Eight nations after Russia at 39.4. The US rate was 10.4.

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