Japan is well known for having one of the highest suicide rates in the developed world. It is less often noted that numbers have been falling dramatically in recent years, with a 38% plunge from their peak in 2003 to 21,321 cases last year.
Economic recovery from the post-bubble crisis does not alone explain the phenomenon. The government deserves credit for consistent steps to reduce suicide, especially as this is the week of World Suicide Prevention Day, established 15 years ago by the World Health Organization.
