Mass suicide by members of the Japanese Friend of the Truth Church.
This paper reports an instance of mass suicide committed by seven members of a local religious cult following the leader's death in Japan in November 1986. The case is discussed from the following viewpoints: (1) a Japanese feudal form of suicide called Junshi; (2) religion and current social changes in Japanese society; and (3) the destructive aspects of a cult.
Takahashi
Y
Y
Department of Neuropsychiatry, Yamanashi Medical College, Japan.
D000328:Adult; D002016:Buddhism; D002835:Christianity; D003466:Cultural Characteristics; D003469:Culture; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan; D008399:Mass Behavior; D012069:Religion and Psychology; D012925:Social Conformity; D012945:Social Values; D013405:Suicide / Q000523:psychology*