Statistics on suicides among children & adolescents in West Germany & Japan were used to compare transcultural social & psychiatric data on 108 German & 103 Japanese suicides & attempted suicides. Characteristic differences with respect to the following variables were revealed; ratio of attempted & accomplished suicide, age, method, integrating problems at school, alcohol & drug dependance, relationships, broken homes, & number of friends. Suicidal tendencies & social backgrounds are discussed.