Japan has long battled one of the highest suicide rates in the industrialized world. In 2013, its national rate of suicide stood at 21.4 deaths per 100 000 people, well above that of other high-income countries (12.7 deaths per 100 000 people). Only within the last few years, have Japanese people begun to consider suicide as a social problem rather than a taboo subject to be avoided.

The Center for Japanese Mental Health combats suicide by:

• We’re fundraising to launch a Japanese suicide prevention hotline and informational warmline. Did you know Japanese callers to the US national suicide hotline are put on hold while they try to find an interpreter? We can and must do better. Our hotline will primarily support those Japanese living and working outside Japan but will, of course, help all who reach out to us.
• raising public awareness of mental health conditions that lead to suicide,
• educating laypeople to notice the warning signs for those at risk of suicide and how they can reach out to those at risk before they attempt to take their own lives,
• educating social welfare and other healthcare professionals to notice the warning signs for those at risk of suicide and how they can intervene and refer those at risk to mental health professionals who can help,
• providing in-person counseling to those suffering from depression (with medication as needed and appropriate) to help them regain their normal productive lives, and
• providing remote counseling by phone or videoconferencing to those who are unable to find local, professional and licensed counselors who provide culturally-sensitive psychotherapy in native Japanese.

Each of us has the ability to save someone from this permanent solution to a temporary problem by noticing, talking and listening with compassion. Would you please take a few minutes to read our suicide prevention guidelines so you’re prepared to be the ONE to save a life? Click here for Suicide prevention guidelines in English and in Japanese.