Suicides in Japan reach a record high

Abstract

A record number of people committed suicide in Japan last year, largely as result of the nation's prolonged economic slump, government statistics revealed last month. The National Police Agency said that 33048 people killed themselves in 1999, an increase of 185 on the record level set the previous year. As in previous years, the main reason that people killed themselves was ill health, which was cited in 41% of the 9027 cases where the victim left a note. However, the most notable trend was the sharp increase in suicides …