In this letter to the editor, the authors briefly describe the epidemiology of suicide in Japan. In Japan, most suicide victims are young adults. The rate has increased from 17.2 per 100,000 population in 1995 to 24.1 per 100,000 population in 2000. The social stigma associated with suicide & mental illness is seen as a barrier to treatment both for individuals thinking about suicide & those who have attemped suicide previously. (6 refs.)