I CAN'T STAND IT! I CAN'T STAND! I JUST CAN'T STAND!

[Linda]

I don't know if I missed anyone addressing this, but isn't a person who decides on suicide in Japan but tries to take as many people with him as he can, a new thing in the culture? The honor part no longer present? Is this something American culture has exported to Japan or is it a consequence of the changing pressures on people in Japanese culture? Or a combination of factors? But then the personal honor type of suicide was more an action of someone of the military or privilaged classes?

Regardless, that government official certainly was off base in his comments. And I can't help but think that friends, and relatives could have done something to stop this. Of course maybe many such incidents in Japan and everywhere else on the planet ARE prevented by friends and family. Naturally we would not be hearing about those.