Japan targets suicide websites following gruesome "house of horror" murders
The Japanese government said it wants to crack down on websites used by vulnerable people to share their suicidal thoughts. This comes amid revelations that such websites were used in an alleged serial murder case. Last month, police found nine dismembered bodies in a "house of horrors" in Tokyo's suburbs. 27-year-old Takahiro Shiraishi has confessed to the murders in a case that shocked Japan.
What are suicide websites?
Suicide websites and social media groups promote and encourage individuals to kill themselves. They also provide consultations to people looking to take their own lives. Previously, some people resisted the idea of committing suicide alone but such websites have changed that. In Japan, 19.7 per 100,000 people committed suicide in 2015, according to the World Health Organization.
Serial killer found victims online after they shared suicidal thoughts
Police uncovered the murders while investigating a young woman's disappearance. Police said Shiraishi interacted with his victims via social media, where they had expressed suicidal thoughts. He lured them to his apartment by saying he would help them commit suicide, following which, he murdered them. Three high school students are among Shiraishi's victims. His youngest victim was a 15-year-old female student.
How Japan plans to crackdown on suicide websites
Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary, Yoshihide Suga has told ministers to crack down on suicide websites and social media by studying how they spread. He's asked them to create measures aimed at deleting or curbing such sites. Japan has long attempted to reduce the nation's high suicide rate through counseling programmes and by blocking websites offering tips on how to commit suicide.
