Suicide prevention strategies in Japan: A 15-year review (1998-2013)

Suicide is a global public health problem and solutions to it can be found only through a global dialog. The suicide rate in Japan has been alarming, but Japan has made substantial efforts to reduce this rate, making prevention a high priority. This report reviews the developmental stages of a compr...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of public health policy 2015-02, Vol.36 (1), p.52-66
Main Authors: Takeshima, Tadashi, Yamauchi, Takashi, Inagaki, Masatoshi, Kodaka, Manami, Matsumoto, Toshihiko, Kawano, Kenji, Katsumata, Yotaro, Fujimori, Maiko, Hisanaga, Ayaka, Takahashi, Yoshitomo
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adolescent
Adult
Aged
Colleges & universities
Counseling
Developmental stages
Equality and Human Rights
Female
Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice
Health Promotion - organization & administration
Humans
Japan - epidemiology
Local government
Male
Medical Sociology
Mens health
Mental Health
Middle age
Middle Aged
Neurology
NGOs
Nongovernmental organizations
Original Article
Policy
Policy Making
Prevention
Prevention programs
Public Health
Social Determinants of Health
Social Justice
Social Policy
Social Sciences
Socioeconomic Factors
Sociology
Suicide
Suicide - prevention & control
Suicides & suicide attempts
Surgeons General
Young Adult
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Summary:Suicide is a global public health problem and solutions to it can be found only through a global dialog. The suicide rate in Japan has been alarming, but Japan has made substantial efforts to reduce this rate, making prevention a high priority. This report reviews the developmental stages of a comprehensive policy of suicide prevention in Japan from 1998 to 2013. Our review suggests that suicide prevention activities were facilitated by the 2006 Basic Act for Suicide Prevention and the 2007 General Principles of Suicide Prevention Policy. Along with the establishment of a Special Fund program for local governments, the Basic Act and General Principles led to the development of a comprehensive and multi-sector approach to suicide prevention. Suicide rates in Japan, especially among middle-aged men, decreased consistently after 2009, suggesting that the initiatives were effective. Continuous monitoring is needed to evaluate Japan's suicide prevention policy.
ISSN:0197-5897
1745-655X
DOI:10.1057/jphp.2014.42