title: Cultural influences on suicide in Japan.
abstract: Following the economic crash of the late 1990s, the suicide rate in Japan increased to a rate of over 30 000 people per year and has been one of the highest in the world. Cultural factors have influenced this high suicide rate, such as a tradition of honorable suicide as well as permissive attitudes towards suicide that remain in modern times. Additionally, the economic downturn, particularly the trend of unemployment in middle-aged men, also played a significant role in the high suicide rate. The suicide rate has started to decrease in recent years perhaps in part due to suicide prevention measures undertaken by the government.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of New Mexico, New Mexico, USA.
authors.forename: Roxanne
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Russell
authors.affiliation: Department of Asian Studies, Mary Baldwin College, Virginia, USA.
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Metraux
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of New Mexico, New Mexico, USA.
authors.forename: Mauricio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tohen
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan / Q000208:ethnology; D013405:Suicide / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data / Q000639:trends
keywords: 
  Japan; culture; economy; prevention; suicide