日本減低自殺率

Recently the Asahi News reported the following:
２０１０年の全国の自殺者は３万１５６０人で、１３年連続で３万人を超えたことが７日、警察庁の速報値で分かった。ただ、前年比では３．９％、１２８５人減っており、０１年以来９年ぶりに３万１千人台に下がった。政府が自殺予防の啓発キャンペーンを始めたり、自治体や民間団体がカウンセリング活動を強めたりした効果が徐々に出ているとの見方もある。
　警察庁のまとめによると、自殺者の性別は男性が２万２１７８人（前年比１２９４人減）、女性は９３８２人（９人増）。依然として男性が７割を占める。
　都道府県別では、（１）東京２９３８人（前年比５１人減）（２）大阪２０３１人（８人減）（３）神奈川１８１０人（２５人減）（４）埼玉１７１７人（７９人減）（５）愛知１５７３人（５０人減）の順で多かった。
　全体数が減るなか、地域別では３６都道府県で減少。減少率が最も高かったのは三重で、２４．６％、１１７人減の３５９人。青森（１７．３％、９４人減の４４９人）、秋田（１６．０％、７０人減の３６８人）、島根（１５．４％、３７人減の２０４人）、高知（１４．５％、３８人減の２２４人）がそれに次ぐ。
　国の自殺対策にかかわっているＮＰＯ法人・ライフリンクの清水康之代表は「自殺者は、国や自治体が自殺対策を強化した直後や、自殺相談の啓発活動が進んでいる地域で大幅に減っている」と指摘する。
　自殺者は年度替わりの３、４月に多くなる傾向があり、昨年は内閣府が中心になって３月にうつ病の早期診断などを呼びかける街頭キャンペーンを各地で実施。今回の警察庁の速報値では、３月の自殺者は前年比５．０％減、４月は１５．９％減だった。清水代表は「生きるための支援を充実させれば自殺者を減らせることを示している。時期や地域を問わず、取り組みを進めるべきだ」と話す。
The number of suicides in the whole country in 2010 was 31,560 people, exceeding 30,000 people for 13 years in a row, this was understood from the preliminary figure of the National Police Agency on the 7th of January. However, it was 3.9% or 1285 people less compared with the previous year, and it fell on 31,000 person level after an interval of nine years since the year 2001. There was a view that the enlightenment campaigns on suicide prevention started by the government, together with the strengthening of counseling activities held by the municipality and civilian organizations were taking effect gradually.
According to the summary of the National Police Agency, 22,178 men committed suicide (a decrease of 1294 people compared with last year); women was 9382 people (an increase of nine people). Men still accounted for 70 percent.
Administrative divisions in descending order was (1) Tokyo 2938 (51 people less than previous year) (2) Osaka 2031 (decrease 8 people) (3) Kanagawa 1810 (decrease 25) (4) Saitama 1717(decrease 79)(5) Aichi 1673 (decrease 50).
While the total was a decrease, by region there was a decrease in 36 administrative divisions. In running order, the highest rate of decrease was in Mie, 24.6% at 359 people, decreased by 117 people, Aomori (17.3% at 449 people decreased by 94 people), Akita (16.0% at 368 people decreased by 70 people), Shimane (15.4% at 204 people decreased by 37 people), and Kochi (14.5% at 224 people decreased by 38 people).
Yasuyuki Shimizu, the representative of the incorporated non-profit organization- the Life Link that was related to suicide measures in the country, pointed out that "The number of suicide has decreased greatly immediately in regions where the country and the municipality's suicide policy had been strengthened, and suicide consultations related enlightening activities had been advanced".
Suicides tended to increase in March and April in the span of a year, and last year with the Cabinet Office at the center, street campaigns to call for the early diagnosis of depression were carried out in various locations in March. In the preliminary figure of the National Police Agency, the number of suicide in March was a 5.0% decrease compared with the previous year, and 15.9% decrease in April. Representative Shimizu said ｢It shows that suicides would decrease if the support to live on is enhanced, it is necessary to advance the approach regardless of time or the region｣.

It is nice to note that Japan is doing something to help those people in distress in order to reduce suicide.