Death toll from hydrogen sulfide suicides this year hits 34 in Tokyo

As many as 34 people have committed suicide in central Tokyo by generating deadly hydrogen sulfide gas since January, with roughly 60 percent of them in their 20s, local government officials said.

The latest finding has prompted the Tokyo Metropolitan Government to do more to prevent suicides among youths before the end of next month.

The metropolitan government's Bureau of Social Welfare and Public Health has released the figure during its first meeting to discuss measures to prevent youth suicides.

There were as many as 20 suicides by mixing detergents and generating hydrogen sulfide in Tokyo's 23 wards in April alone, followed by six in May.

By age, 19 of those who committed suicide with the deadly gas were aged in their 20s, seven were in their 30s, while there were two each in the age brackets of teens, 40s and 50s.

By gender, 80 percent of those who committed suicide with the lethal gas were men, at 26 people. By occupation, 13 were unemployed and six were students.

During Monday's meeting, participants discussed how to prevent suicides among the young. Suggestions ranged from calling on the operators of Web sites to provide online information that could lead to the prevention of suicides, to setting up a support system that will provide consultations after grasping an understanding of what social problems are behind the situation.

For consultations on suicides, call the Tokyo Jisatsu Boshi Center at 03-5286-9090, or the Tokyo Inochi no Denwa at 03-3264-4343 (in Japanese).

(Mainichi Japan) May 13, 2008