Politics
Friday March 21, 2003
FAMILY BREAKDOWN IN JAPAN DRIVES ELDERLY TO SUICIDE
Government says "Suicide has become a national epidemic,"
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TOKYO, March 21, 2003 (LifeSiteNews.com) - Japan's declining birth rate, relative economic stagnation and decaying family life are driving many elderly Japanese to depression and suicide.
"Suicide has become a national epidemic," according to an official announcement from the Japanese Government. The number of people taking their own lives has reached an all time high of 30,000 per year.
"Traditional family life in Japan is breaking down, so there is little support for them," says Dr. Naoki Watanabe, an expert in suicide and depression. In a "proud, stoical society," the BBC reports, suicide is also seen as "matter of honour" for old people who feel as if they are a burden.
For BBC coverage:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/crossing_continents/2862051.stm
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