Facts of Japan. Vol. 11.5.1

Tall Fences on Japanese High Schools are to prevent suicidal students.

One thing that always deeply concerns me and drives my passion to bring salvation to the Japanese people is their extremely high suicide rate. I once heard a Japanese Missionary post that it is not uncommon that if you go the train stations in Japan and all trains are stopped, because the another poor soul committed suicide by jumping off the train platform. On many Japanese High School Roofs instead of simple fences they have installed massive 14 foot fences that curve inward to prevent suicides. Factors in suicide include unemployment (due to the economic recession in the 1990s), depression, and social pressures. Suicide is predominately the result of a combination of factors such as healthcare provision, social attitudes, cultural influences and economic distress. I personally believe that high levels of are because the Japanese are not finding wholeness within their own society, religion (Buddhism) and work. This is the reasons that we Christians need to reach Japan -- especially after this recent disaster -- to help prevent the high numbers of Japanese Suicides.