The author investigated the deaths of all patients in psychiatric hospitals in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan between 1968-70. 1,267 cases were identified. 32 males & 17 females died by suicide. Hanging was the most common method that was used. Suicide was ranked as the 7th leading cause of death among the psychiatric patients compared to the 8th leading cause for all deaths in the Prefecture. The relative risk of males dying by suicide was 12.3; the relative risk for females was 11.9. (20 refs.)