Astounding number of suicides in Japan

So i have been watching the news and reading the internet newspapers pretty closely lately. For reasons that i will be able to write about in a few months. But i find it quite alarming how many articles there are about suicide in Japan. Escpecially group suicide. I knew it happened and that it dates back to the Samurai and their honour. But the number is increasing here. Someone jumped in front of a train near my station earlier this year. Something i never would have expected in Australia. I mean look at how many links i have found just in one online newspaper for this week. I havent included them so you can read them just to show you how many there are. Of course you are welcome to click on them but it is abit depressing.

http://mdn.mainichi.jp/national/news/20080310p2a00m0na006000c.html

http://mdn.mainichi.jp/national/news/20080226p2a00m0na010000c.html

http://mdn.mainichi.jp/national/news/20080219p2a00m0na015000c.html

http://mdn.mainichi.jp/national/news/20080212p2a00m0na022000c.html

http://mdn.mainichi.jp/national/news/20080305p2a00m0na009000c.html

http://mdn.mainichi.jp/national/news/20080303p2a00m0na005000c.html

http://mdn.mainichi.jp/national/news/20080228p2a00m0na018000c.html

http://mdn.mainichi.jp/national/news/20080303p2a00m0na002000c.html