A peculiar case of suicide enacted through the ancient Japanese ritual of Jigai.
In the past, self-infliction of sharp force was a classic form of suicide, while in modern times it is quite rare, constituting only 2% to 3% of all self-inflicted deaths. In Japan, the jigai (Japanese characters: see text) ritual is a traditional method of female suicide, carried out by cutting the jugular vein using a knife called a tantō. The jigai ritual is the feminine counterpart of seppuku (well-known as harakiri), the ritual suicide of samurai warriors, which was carried out by a deep slash into the abdomen. In contrast to seppuku, jigai can be performed without assistance, which was fundamental for seppuku.The case we describe here involves an unusual case of suicide in which the victim was a male devotee of Japanese culture and weapons. He was found dead in his bathtub with a deep slash in the right lateral-cervical area, having cut only the internal jugular vein with a tantō knife, exactly as specified by the jigai ritual.
From the Department of Anatomy, Histology, Forensic Medicine and Orthopedics, "Sapienza" University of Rome, Rome, Italy.
Aniello
A
Maiese
Lorenzo
L
Gitto
Massimiliano
M
dell'Aquila
Giorgio
G
Bolino
D044466:Asian People; D002562:Ceremonial Behavior; D054059:Coronary Occlusion / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan; D007601:Jugular Veins / Q000293:injuries* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019838:Neck Injuries / Q000473:pathology*; D012771:Shock, Hemorrhagic / Q000209:etiology; D013405:Suicide / Q000208:ethnology*; D014950:Wounds, Penetrating / Q000473:pathology*