In Japan, the return to school in the second semester is marked by tragedies: according to the Japanese government, September 1st is historically the day of the year when the highest number of young people under 18 commit suicide. From 1972 to 2013, more than 18,000 children committed suicide.
On average annually, there were 92 on August 31, 131 on September 1, and another 94 on September 2. Last year, Japan recorded suicide as the leading cause of death for people aged 10 to 19 for the first time. The return to school in April also marks a peak in the number of child deaths.
Shocked by the statistics, a librarian from the city of Kamakura caused controversy by recently tweeting: “The second semester is almost here. If you are thinking about killing yourself, why do you hate school so much? Why not come here? We have comics and light novels. No one will fight with you if you spend the whole day here. Remember us as a refuge if you are thinking of choosing death over school.”
‘Heavy Armor’
In just 24 hours, Maho Kawai’s note was retweeted more than 60,000 times. The initiative was criticized, as it is practically a municipal employee encouraging children not to go to school. But for many, he may have helped save lives. “My school uniform felt as heavy as armor.
I couldn’t stand the school climate, my heart raced. I thought about killing myself because it would have been easier,” wrote the student Masa, whose real name cannot be published to protect his identity. He claims that if it weren’t for his understanding mother, who let him stay home “skipping school,” he would have committed suicide on September 1. Masa’s statement was given to a newspaper for children who decide not to go to school.
“We started this non-governmental organization 17 years ago because in 1997, we had three shocking incidents involving students just before the start of classes,” said the publication’s editor, Shikoh Ishi.
Two of the children mentioned by Ishi committed suicide on August 31. Around the same time, three other students set fire to the school they attended because they didn’t want to return to classes. “That’s when we realized how many desperate children there were, and we wanted to send the message that there is no choice between school or death,” said Ishi.
Support for Suicidal Individuals
For many Japanese children, the competitiveness of Japanese society is unbearable. The Japanese government has also launched a series of initiatives – including hotlines and other services – to support potential suicides of all ages.
Even so, last week, a 13-year-old boy committed suicide on the day of the opening ceremony of the second semester. Ishi himself came very close to committing suicide at that age. “I felt helpless because I hated all the rules, not just those of the school, but also those among the children.
For example, you need to carefully observe the power structure to avoid bullying,” he said. “Even so, if you decide not to join them, you risk becoming the next victim.”
For him, however, the bigger problem is the competitiveness of Japanese society. He himself started thinking about suicide when he couldn’t get into an elite school. “The worst of all is a competitive society, where you have to defeat your friends.” Ishi adds that, in Japanese, the term used for entrance exams includes the word “war.”
What saved him from death was that his parents found the suicide note and did not force him to go to school. “I want children to know that you can escape from school, and that things will get better.”
To learn more about suicide in Japan, we recommend reading our article on the truth about suicide in Japan.
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