The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-11-16
SUICIDE STATISTICS OF JAPAN.
The Most Remarkable Exhibitor in
This Line of All Nations.
From the London Daily News.


From the London Daily News.
There are but few more interesting mag
azines than the newly published Far
East. which is issued from the office of
Japanese vernacular paper, and printed
in English for the benefit of unenlight-
ened foreigners. Kure Bunso, described
by the editors as "one of our famous ar
lists" contributes an article on Suicide
in JAPAN" which includes some remark
able tables. I'm JAPAN" he says, suicide
is not considered a sin, even from a re-
ligious point of view. The chief point III
the teaching of Buddhism is future sal
walton, SO that some ignorant men and
women, misapprehending the teaching.
try to escape from this world as soon as
possible by self-murder in order to secure
future happiness and peace. This mis-
taken idea together with the influence of
religion and the dauntless character of
our people, tends to increase the number
of suicides. Moreover, there are noted
men who have done good deeds who have
died in this manner; hence people natu-
rally come TO think of suicide as man
ly way of dying, rather than an act of
coWardice and shame" 1t appears from
the tables that during the five years, 1891
'95, inclusive. the average number of sui-
cides among male japanese was 1905 per
annum, and among the women 28224. the
combined ratio being 1871 per 100000. In
Germany and France 25 per cent. of the
suicides are women, but in Japan the
percentage is 80, and Mr.. Bunso quantity
explains this as lowing to the situation
in which out women are placed, and also
to their Intellectual ability" In the years
under review 1879 men and 6,1SS women
hanged themselves; 5000 men and 6,S25
women drown themselves; 1924 men and
59 women performed the happy dis
patch" with knives or swords; 800 men
and 81 women shot themselves; 266 men
and 1871 women took poison, and 1,072 men
and 349 women killed themselves in mis-.
cellaneous fashion. July in particular,
and the summer months in general, are
preferred-as in Europe-by japanese sui
cides.
Most curious. however, are the causes
of suicide. These are exhaustivel clasSi-
fed and a careful analysis shows that
1908 of the men and 6,7S2 of the women
committed suicide through madness or
alteration of mind:' 1888 men and 1886
women through distress or grief regard
ing means of living, or some misfortune"
2,610 men and 1,674 women through BODILY
suffering" (sickness); ISL men and i,107
women through love and Affection 1,0o6
men and 1863 women through "remorse
and shame;" All men and SOS women
through disagreement with family, an
xiety for the FUTURE" 221 men and ISL wo-
men through weak mindedness;" 26l
men and "a women through loss of for
tune or debit" 2S7 men and 60 women
through fear of the discovery of crime
and punishment" 120 men and IS women
through melancholy" 80 men and SO wo,
men through distress for misconduct of
husband or SOM" 20 men and 2S women
through grief for death Of parent or hus-
band or wife," ETC.; SO men and so women
through 'censure of parent or employer
z men and SO women ION account of dt-
vorce;' men and rs women through Sc
duction;" is men and q females ION ac-
count of physical defects; men and 4S
women through dislike of marriage" 327
men and 237 women through other
causes" and 1,467 men and $50 women for
unknown causes"
The ages of these suicides are thus re-
corded: Under is years, 474 males, ass fe-
males; 16 to 20 years, 1907 males, 1859 fe-
males; 20 to 80 years, 4,7l males, g. 1856 fe-
males; 80 to 40 years. 1864 males, 1904 fe-
males; 40 to 50 years, AIS males, 1857 fe-
males; over 50 years, S652 males, 1872 fe-
males; of uncertain age. 81 males, 10 fe-
males.
These figures give food for reflection.
Shakespeare's 'dictum that none have ever
died of love certainly does not apply to
Japan. 1t would seem that the japanese
women bear bodily suffering better than
the men, that they are more affectionate,
that they do not feel remorse and shame
so keenly as men, that they are less Grim
inal, or, possibly, less fearful of the con-
sequences, that they are less weak-mind-
ed, that disagreements with their famil-
lies affect them more deeply, that debts
and loss of fortune sit more lightly on
them that they are less melancholy, ex-
cept when the misconduct of their hus-
bands and sons is concerned that they
sorrow more for the dear dead, that they
feel censure more strongly, that the woes
OF marriage de jure and de facto and the
dread possibilities of marriage come home
to them with deadlier effect, that they are
vainer or more sensitive than men, and
that they are not so we'll able to keen
secret their motive for suicide It is curl
Gus to lind no fewer than 166 men over
% years of age killing themselves on ac-
count of family squabbles. Generally
speaking, female suicides are more fire.
quent in youth and male suicides in ma
ture age.