| ■ Large Increase in Suicides By Elderly Japanese | 2008.06.23 |
| The number of Japanese over age 60 who committed suicide increased by almost 9 percent in 2007. The 12,107 suicides among people 60 and older accounted for nearly 40 percent of all cases in the country, according to the National Police Agency. Elderly people in Japan are increasingly plagued with worries about money and rising health care costs. Changes in the traditional family structure mean that many older adults are worried that no family members will be able to care for them. There's also concern among the elderly that the state will not be able to support them, BBC News reported. Japan has one of the highest suicide rates in the world. Nationwide in 2007, the overall suicide rate rose 2.9 percent to 33,093. The main reasons for suicide were depression, illness and debt, according to the National Police Agency. Japanese officials have introduced a number of measures to try to reduce the suicide rate, including workplace counseling and blocking Web sites that offer suicide tips, BBC News reported. |