Contemporary Social Problems in Japan: A Study of the Suicide and Depopulation Problems

In: International journal of Japanese sociology, Volume 1, Issue 1, p. 19-33

Abstract

Abstract  Two complementary investigations were undertaken:1. Research into the relationship between suicide and depopulation in Shimane Prefecture.2. Research into the relationship between the perception of social problems and unwanted objective conditions, employing suicide as the example of unwanted conditions.To summarize the most important findings:1. The suicide rates have been notably higher in depopulated areas.2. The partial correlation of suicide to depopulation was high, when the effect of aging of population was removed.3. This partial correlation has increased since 1975. There has been an aggravation of the problem of suicide as a depopulation problem.4. The correlation of suicide to aging of the population vanished, when the effect of depopulation was removed.5. At 70 and over, the suicide rates have been notably higher in depopulated areas.6. The correlation of the age‐specific suicide rate with the depopulation rate, increases with age and the correlation of the suicide rate among old people to the depopulation rate, was notably higher.7. These suicidal tendencies express the mores of society. Morality underlies the perception of social problems, while morality could not exist without generating suicide at a certain point. Both suicide and the perception of suicide as social problems are largely determined by morality. This is our paradoxical hypothesis.8. Lastly, we emphasize that there are serious depopulation problems in Japan. This is particularly obvious, if suicide is employed as the indicator of depopulation severity.