Feeling Suicidal?
If so, seek help. Buy a cat. Sleep in late. Eat a well balanced meal. Go for a walk. Take a day off work. Whatever you do, don’t jump in front of a crowded commuter train in the morning!
Today marks the fourth time this year—and the second time in two weeks!—that I’ve been held up by people who have thrown themselves in the path of moving trains. Whenever this happens, all the train lines in the area have to stop and readjust their schedules, which greatly inconveniences literally tens of thousands of people who are just trying to get to work.
This morning I was actually on the train that hit the jumper, so in addition to the readjustment time, there was additional time needed to clear away the body. Although I left the house this morning in plenty of time to get to work, I ended up being half an hour late because of this. As per company rules, I have to take a half day off if I am even a minute late, regardless of the reason.
My boss warns me that I should be careful because suicides are common during this time of the year (Japan’s suicide rate tops 30,000 annually, almost like clockwork, with most of them happening in the spring), which is a really unfortunate fact of life in Japan, but what on earth can I do about it? I already left home with time to spare; short of never going home, there’s not much more that I can do. Shouldn’t some steps be taken to prevent this kind of behavior? Some train lines have guardrails that prevent people from getting close to the train before the gates open, which seems like a sensible precaution.
I’m sorry if you’ve lost your job or if you didn’t get into your school of choice or whatever, but please, jumping in front of a train is really not the way to go about dealing with your situation—no matter how bad it may seem at the time.
How very difficult. Unacknowledged vicarious trauma for tens of thousands of people as you say. Is there a national suicide task force working on reducing these incidents? I am sorry you had this experience. Thank you for sharing it, though, sorrow shared is less than when someone bears it alone. Cultural question, “Why so much more often in the springtime?” Hugs to my grandkids, Mom
Is there a national suicide task force working on reducing these incidents?
There might be, but I don’t know of any coordinated effort to prevent people from jumping off train platforms. There are countless public service announcements reminding people to smoke only in designated areas or to refrain from taking pictures of others without their permission, but none that I’ve seen that say “Please don’t kill yourself here.”
Cultural question, “Why so much more often in the springtime?”
April is the beginning of the fiscal and academic year in Japan, so businessmen who are facing bankruptcy or students who are facing entrance exams are under a lot of pressure. I imagine this is a large part of it. I’m not sure of the breakdown, but I’d be willing to bet that a large number of suicides come from these two groups.
I did read a few years ago about a plan devised by some boffin or a committee of same to paint all of the JR stations a different colour - just like the subway stations. This was to decrease the number of suicides on the JR lines.
Huh??
how was the colour of the platform going to have an effect..
This is the logic.. these bright sparks from the government concluded that as there was less suicides on subways compared with the above ground and that subway stations are all painted different colours so this is the direct link and one must be related to the other.. so 2 + 2 does really equal 5?
Needless to say that the proposal was never carried out but I am sure the budget to produce this fine piece of research cost the tax payers a princely sum..
You must live on the Chuo line. Me too. Sometimes it seems like every other day there’s a jumper somewhere. I guess cuz the rapids are so fast that there is no doubt as to the outcome. The pokey Inokashira line? No way—you’d just get dragged for a while.
*Did you know you can get little “Sorry Taro is late—the trains were not running on time” notes from JR? I didn’t know until about year ago—and I’ve been here for….well let’s just say a looooooong time.
*I read about a crossing somewhere—way out on the wild west end of the Chuo line, that is a preferred spot for jumpers. JR installed huge mirrors and the suicide rate went down.
*JR charges the families of the jumpers some huge amount for the inconvenience. I’ve seen the figure of 10 mill yen—but JR won’t go on record about it. (I think.) Of course most Japanese insurance companies pay even if cause of death is suicide.
Oopps! I was wrong. Mirrors on platform walls.
http://www.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/getarticle.pl5?nn20020308b5.htm
other fun stories
http://www2.gol.com/users/coynerhm/japanese_trains_try_to_shed_a_gr.htm
http://mdn.mainichi.co.jp/news/archive/200307/10/20030710p2a00m0dm016000c.html
You must live on the Chuo line.
No, actually I live on the Yokohama line, which shouldn’t have anywhere near as many suicides—we rarely have any rapid trains!
But we seem to have plenty of them. In fact, there was another one on my way home from work tonight!! That’s the second suicide on my route in 48 hours! The third in two weeks! At this rate, I’ll be out of vacation time before summer rolls around and people calm down a bit.
At least it wasn’t a morning suicide. I don’t want to suggest that evening suicides are “preferable,” but at least I don’t get docked half a day’s pay when I’m late getting home.
Did you know you can get little “Sorry Taro is late—the trains were not running on time” notes from JR?
Yes, but my company doesn’t seem to care. A minute late, no matter what the reason, is an automatic half-day vacation.
I read about a crossing somewhere—way out on the wild west end of the Chuo line, that is a preferred spot for jumpers.
Really? Someone told me that the Odakyu line has more suicides than any other in Japan, but I can easily see how the Chuo line would be a “good choice” (for lack of a better term).
Of course most Japanese insurance companies pay even if cause of death is suicide.
I understand that, in cases like these, the first priority is given to getting the trains running again (which I hear can take less than 15 minutes, in a “best-case” scenario), so often there is no time for the police to conduct an investigation. Under the circumstances, the insurance companies probably pay because the possibility of an accident cannot be ruled out. But seriously, tens of thousands of “accidents” every year? It’s not that hard to stay put on the platform. I’m sure there are a few drunks who manage to fall off and get killed every year, but in most cases I’m sure it must be deliberate.
What is the reason for your companies maniacal insistence on punctuality?
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