Japanese Suicide Clubs

Trytostaydead · Post by **Trytostaydead** » 2004-10-12 08:11am

Nine die in Japan 'suicide pacts'
A blue sheet is covered on a car, left, where seven young men and women were found dead in a mountainside lot at Minano, near Tokyo, on Tuesday October 12, 2004
Seven bodies were found inside a van in the Saitama mountains
Japanese police have found the bodies of nine people who apparently committed suicide after meeting via special suicide sites on the internet.

A police spokesman said seven young people were found in a van in the Saitama mountains to the west of Tokyo.

Minutes later, two women were found dead in a car south of Tokyo, in another apparent suicide pact.

Japan has recently seen a wave of internet-linked suicides, as people seek companions to die with.

More than 34,000 Japanese took their own lives in 2003, according to the National Police Agency - an increase of more than 7% from the previous year.

Economic difficulties and an increasing sense of isolation among Japanese youth are believed to be contributing to the rise.

A small but growing number of suicide attempts are being made by people brought together through the internet.

Analysts have speculated that group suicide may mitigate the inherent loneliness of taking one's life alone.

The BBC's Tokyo correspondent says dozens of suicide websites have appeared in recent years offering advice to those who plan to kill themselves.

Poisoned

The three women and four men who died in Saitama were all reportedly in their teens or early 20s.

It was probably the largest group suicide in Japan so far, police said.

This group and the two women found in Kanagawa are believed by police to have died from carbon monoxide poisoning as a result of charcoal burners in their cars.

"We believe they all died after inhaling carbon monoxide from the charcoal," a police spokesman said of the seven found in Saitama. "We believe they got acquainted through the internet."

"We found no traces of violence that could have otherwise led to their deaths," he said.

Investigators had yet to establish whether the two cases were related.

Our correspondent says suicide has become a widely discussed topic on many websites, and there is even a guidebook to the best places to kill yourself.

The authorities have talked about closing down or regulating the websites.

But organisers argue that they offer a compassionate service to those who have given up all hope of the future.

Increasing numbers of young people in Japan are feeling alienated by modern life. Several thousand are termed "hikikomori" - recluses who never leave their room, finding entertainment only on the internet.

Post by **weemadando** » 2004-10-12 08:25am

Can't say that this surprises me much. Japan has always been a tough place to grow up in, but with the traditions of the salary-man and economic security in doubt, its getting more fucked up for more people...

Post by **Ghost Rider** » 2004-10-12 08:34am

Not even the slightest bit surprising. Have a friend who teaches them and seriously, she says they are a bit screwy in variety of ways of how they deal vs say the average American.

Combine that with their economy is not doing well, and literally they are brought up as cogs within the system. Not amazed that they would have these things, given their purpose is literally vanishing for many of them.

Sarevok · Post by **Sarevok** » 2004-10-12 09:16am

Article

There is something psycholilogicaly wrong witht the Japaneese society.

Chris OFarrell · Post by **Chris OFarrell** » 2004-10-12 09:58am

The Shadow wrote:Article

There is something psycholilogicaly wrong witht the Japaneese society.

Tentacle rape Hentai and a fixation with Mecha over Tanks didn't lead you to suspecct this already?

Sharp-kun · Post by **Sharp-kun** » 2004-10-12 02:27pm

Chris OFarrell wrote: Tentacle rape Hentai and a fixation with Mecha over Tanks didn't lead you to suspecct this already?

That's perfectly healthy.

I am proof of that.

Suicide is looked at differently in Japan than in the west. While I don't like how it is, it's a hard thing to change.

Iceberg · Post by **Iceberg** » 2004-10-12 02:40pm

"Duty is heavier than a mountain; Death is lighter than a feather."

Sokartawi · Post by **Sokartawi** » 2004-10-12 02:51pm

The Shadow wrote:Article

There is something psycholilogicaly wrong witht the Japaneese society.

I'm like that and I don't live in Japan... Unlike these I still have a part-time job though. Behind the scenes in a computer shop. I only leave my room for work, food and the bathroom. Still living with parents but probably moving out soon since it hurts them to see me like this.

Cause? Multiple reasons. Being bullied at school and after school for 12 years to the point that people thought I was authistic because I didn't talk anymore at all (which resulted in speech problems as well) might have something to do with it. Another reason is that I fundamentally disagree with society, and since I can't seem to change anything about it, I decided to stay away from it as far as I could.

Grand Moff Yenchin · Post by **Grand Moff Yenchin** » 2004-10-12 03:05pm

This reminds me of that freaky Japanese film "Suicide Circle" with a long line of schoolgirls happily jumping on the subway.

Post by **Sea Skimmer** » 2004-10-12 05:36pm

Grand Moff Yenchin wrote:This reminds me of that freaky Japanese film "Suicide Circle" with a long line of schoolgirls happily jumping on the subway.

That movie was funny as all hell, even if it probably wasn't meant to be in any way. The really cheep blood effects probably had something to do with me laughing though.

Post by **Darth Wong** » 2004-10-12 05:57pm

Chris OFarrell wrote:
The Shadow wrote:There is something psycholilogicaly wrong witht the Japaneese society.
Tentacle rape Hentai and a fixation with Mecha over Tanks didn't lead you to suspecct this already?

I understand tentacle rape hentai. I can even understand the fixation with mecha, even if it's logically wrong. But I can't understand chatroom-planned group suicides.

Seggybop · Post by **Seggybop** » 2004-10-12 06:13pm

Anyone see the episode of the anime Paranoia Agent that dealt with this? Truly disturbing. That series was like a roll-call of everything messed up with Japanese society.

LordShaithis · Post by **LordShaithis** » 2004-10-12 08:10pm

There's only one cure for what ails Japan: A return to Empire!

Sriad · Post by **Sriad** » 2004-10-12 08:52pm

I used to think all the suicide attempts in GTO were pretty unrealistic, but now not so sure.

(not that there aren't lots of other ways that it isn't, mind you)

Solauren · Post by **Solauren** » 2004-10-12 09:07pm

It's the 'fuck them all' mentality from a different angle.

In the West "Screw you! I'll will leech off society and my parents!"

In the Orient/Japan: "Screw me! I won't leech off society and my parents"

The difference is that Japanese culture focuses more on responsiblity then individualism.

One little shift, and instead of suicides, they'd have a massive welfare bum problem.

Post by **Darth Wong** » 2004-10-12 09:08pm

Solauren wrote:It's the 'fuck them all' mentality from a different angle.

In the West "Screw you! I'll will leech off society and my parents!"

In the Orient/Japan: "Screw me! I won't leech off society and my parents"

The difference is that Japanese culture focuses more on responsiblity then individualism.

One little shift, and instead of suicides, they'd have a massive welfare bum problem.

Can't we work out some kind of hybridization program, whereby the welfare bums commit suicide?

Grand Moff Yenchin · Post by **Grand Moff Yenchin** » 2004-10-12 10:48pm

Sea Skimmer wrote:That movie was funny as all hell, even if it probably wasn't meant to be in any way. The really cheep blood effects probably had something to do with me laughing though.

Well stuff like this either becomes serious or kuso. I was reading through a bunch of discussion threads (including some stupid one thinking it was real) and then watched the movie.

As for the grouping up to suicide sounds a bit like these people were all depressed and after exchanges the situation became worse, not better.

there is even a guidebook to the best places to kill yourself.

Places? That fucking book is a guidebook to kill oneself. Fully included with detailed methods, how to get the things. Plus a hypocritical epilogue pretending not to be responsible for anything.

neoolong · Post by **neoolong** » 2004-10-12 11:15pm

Well, it's not like this stuff doesn't happen in the US either. We had to read Teenage Wasteland in Sociology and it talked about stuff like that.

Not suprising that the same conditions can have the same effects.

Solauren · Post by **Solauren** » 2004-10-13 12:09am

Darth Wong wrote:
Solauren wrote:It's the 'fuck them all' mentality from a different angle.
In the West "Screw you! I'll will leech off society and my parents!"
In the Orient/Japan: "Screw me! I won't leech off society and my parents"
The difference is that Japanese culture focuses more on responsiblity then individualism.
One little shift, and instead of suicides, they'd have a massive welfare bum problem.
Can't we work out some kind of hybridization program, whereby the welfare bums commit suicide?

That would be nice but... (shrugs)

Personally, I think we should just send the Welfare bums to Japan, and the skilled Japanese unemployeed here

SyntaxVorlon · Post by **SyntaxVorlon** » 2004-10-13 12:13am

Darth Wong wrote:
Solauren wrote:It's the 'fuck them all' mentality from a different angle.

In the West "Screw you! I'll will leech off society and my parents!"

In the Orient/Japan: "Screw me! I won't leech off society and my parents"

The difference is that Japanese culture focuses more on responsiblity then individualism.

One little shift, and instead of suicides, they'd have a massive welfare bum problem.
Can't we work out some kind of hybridization program, whereby the welfare bums commit suicide?

Perhaps we could import welfare bums from Japan.

Solauren · Post by **Solauren** » 2004-10-13 12:37am

I don't think Japan has near the welfare bum problem there is in North America.

Sarevok · Post by **Sarevok** » 2004-10-13 01:21am

Cause? Multiple reasons. Being bullied at school and after school for 12 years to the point that people thought I was authistic because I didn't talk anymore at all (which resulted in speech problems as well) might have something to do with it. Another reason is that I fundamentally disagree with society, and since I can't seem to change anything about it, I decided to stay away from it as far as I could.

Just remember. If you cant change the world change yourself. It worked for me.