Body found in car hit by train; no one else hurt [Japanese News]

Well, although you and I disagree about the topic itself - i.e., I believe that often the desire for suicide is a temporary state of mental imbalance brought about by a traumatic event, which can range from the murder of a loved one, to a high school romance breaking up, to a ten year old's black sorrow that his parents have divorced - we certainly agree on the subtopic of using other people as the vehicle of our own death. Just as the suicidal person is blind to how many hearts will be broken and lives shattered by his or her action, in an undending chain of emotional connections, so does the action of a person pulling on to a train track show the disregard of the engineers and others who are responsible for the physical means of the ending of their life. How will these people live after this horrific event?
The suicide persons do not care what life will be like for the engineers, or their families, or others touched by their own desire for relief. This seems unacceptably selfish, to me, but then again, if one is temporarily mentally imbalanced, then I suppose one could not expect them to think through the suffering that they inflict on others, or the karmic chain reactions.
Thank you for a most thought provoking piece! All the best to you.

I think it does show disgard. Yes, they are depressed, but they know full well what they are doing. In fact, in Japan, the family is held responsible for the actions of those who commit suicide. For example, it is likely that once the body has been identified, it is likely the remaining family members will be asked to make reparations to the company for the damaged train (which was extensive actually as the car was pulled along the side for about fifty or so meters damaging at least one full carriage). This is also pretty insensitive I believe, but it is meant to make people think about jumping in front of a train or driving their car in front of one. Whether it works or not, that is something else altogether.

In the US, it is not like this, but if people were made more responsible for actions of their family members maybe the person would have gotten help in the first place and not commit suicide... oh yeah.. alot of americans are out for themselves and taught not to be helpful to each other...

No meaning to put anyone down, but our society is such a one sided society it is not funny.

I understand what you are saying Trish B. In Japan, there is a lot of 'pressure' to not embarrass the family. But not in the way that others are FORCED to do it. It's just the way children are brought up. It does make for a more harmonious society overall, but doesn't necessarily make it perfect. As an American myself, I think that if perhaps more Americans felt they needed to tread a little softer in order not to embarrass themselves but other members of the family as well, our society would be a little different. Perhaps we might not be involved in the current war we are in. MAYBE. Who knows? Thanks much for your comment. =) It was a thoughtful one.