新調查顯示越來越多日本人曾考慮自殺
The number of Japanese adults thinking of taking their own lives due to economic, social and emotional distress is on the rise, according to a new study by the Cabinet Office.
Of those surveyed, about one in four -- 23.4% -- aged between 20 and 50 had contemplated suicide at some point. That was up by four percentage points from a previous survey in 2008. Of those who had contemplated suicide in the latest survey, 22.7% had thought about it in the last year, up almost two percentage points from 2008.
Associated Press一項新的研究顯示，有過自殺念頭的日本成年人正不斷增多。在被調查者中，約有四分之一、即23.4%的人（年齡在20歲到50歲）曾經一度考慮過自殺。這一比例較2008年的調查結果升高了四個百分點。在此次調查發現的這些考慮過自殺的人中，有22.7%的人在上一年有過自殺的想法，較2008年調查得出的水平升高了將近兩個百分點。The Cabinet Office surveyed 3,000 people in January aged 20 -- the legal age of adulthood -- and older. It used 2,017 written responses in compiling its findings. In addition to whether people had contemplated suicide, the survey asked how prevalent people felt suicide was in Japan, and what kind of effect the March 11, 2011 disasters had on their mindsets and interactions with others.
內閣府在1月份調查了3,000名年齡在20歲及以上的人（20歲是進入成年的法定年齡），在編寫調查結果的過程中使用了2,017份書面調查反饋。除了是否考慮過自殺，調查中的問題還包括，你認爲自殺現象在日本的普遍程度，以及2011年3月11日的災難對人們的思想和與他人的互動帶來了怎樣的影響。
The suicide rate has been a growing concern in Japan. Around 30,000 people have killed themselves every year from 1999, an increase of about 10,000 from the years prior to this, according to the National Police Agency. The government estimated the economic impact of suicide and depression at $32 billion in 2009. On a per capita basis, Japan has one of the highest suicide rates in the developed world. In 2005, the rate was around twice that of the United States, and more than three times that of the U.K.
自殺率問題在日本越來越令人擔憂。根據日本警察廳(National Police Agency)的數據，1999年以來，日本每年大約有3萬人自殺，此前的年份裏，這一數字爲1萬左右。政府估計，自殺和抑鬱在2009年造成的經濟損失達320億美元。按人口比例計算，日本的自殺率處於發達國家中的最高水平。2005年，日本的自殺率約爲美國的兩倍，比英國的三倍還多。In the latest survey, the percentage of those in their 20s who said they had considered suicide was especially high, at 28.4%. A weak economy and an uncertain future are thought partially to blame, according to a Cabinet Office official. Younger people face hardships competing for jobs and coping with the aftermath of last year's disasters, the survey found.此次調查發現，20多歲年齡段人羣中有過自殺念頭的人所佔比例尤其高，達到了28.4%。內閣府的一名官員說，經濟的低迷和未來的不確定性被認爲是造成這種現象的部分原因。調查發現，年輕人在職場競爭和處理去年災難的後續影響方面面臨着許多困難。
Many of those who considered suicide chose to confide in colleagues or family, or focused on hobbies or work to raise their spirits, the survey found. Only a few chose to seek professional help -- about 8.5% sought professional counseling.調查發現，許多考慮過自殺的人選擇向同事或家人吐露心聲，或是通過把注意力集中於個人愛好或工作上來提振情緒。只有少數人選擇尋求專業幫助──8.5%的人向專業人士進行過諮詢。
Some called telephone help lines, which have been struggling to keep up with demand.一些人撥打過電話求助熱線，但這類熱線服務一直趕不上需求。
Tokyo English Life Line, an English-language service, has even noticed an increase in calls from Japanese who can barely speak English. Between Jan. 1 and March 16 this year, about 60% of the calls made to TELL were from Japanese seeking counseling on matters ranging from relationships and employment to depression and suicide.以英語爲服務語言的東京英語生命熱線(Tokyo English Life Line)甚至發現，幾乎不能說英語的日本人打來的求助電話在增多。今年1月1日到3月16日，東京英語生命熱線接到的求助電話中，有60%是日本人撥打的，他們尋求諮詢的問題包括人際關係和就業，也包括抑鬱和自殺。
'The main reason for this is that the Japanese Life Line (Inochi no Denwa) is unable to cope with the demand for help,' said Jason Chare, TELL's director. 'Out of sheer desperation to speak to anyone, they call TELL's English Life Line and try to be understood with whatever rudimentary English they have,' he said.東京英語生命熱線的主管Jason Chare說，造成這種現象的主要原因是日語生命熱線無法滿足求助需求。由於求助者不顧一切地想向他人傾訴，於是他們打電話給東京英語生命熱線，希望能得到理解，儘管他們的英語水平非常有限。
