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TOKYO - Japan's grim reputation as one of the world's suicide nations has been confirmed by statistics that show more than 30,000 people a year have taken their own lives since figures first began to rise in 1998.
In 2006, there were 32,115 suicides - 25 per 100,000 people; nearly 100 people a day; one every 15 minutes.
The most common hour of death is 5am for men and noon for women, after their families have left for work or school. Japan has roughly half the population of the US, yet the same number of suicides. Experts in Japan were puzzled when the suicide rate jumped in 1998 from 24,391 to 32,863 - a 35 per cent rise - and the annual figure has continued to stay above 30,000. Two theories have been put forward by the media: bullying at school and netto shinju - online suicide pacts.
Last year the National Police saved 72 potential suicides who had made postings on the net. A helpline takes an estimated 720,000 calls a year at its 49 centres.
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