The authors reviewed previous suicide prevention measures by individual age groups in Japan. They found the previous strategies focused on measures for the elderly. However, these measure have not been linked to a decline in the overall number of suicides. What did have an effect were strategies implemented at the local level. Future measures must include those aimed at unemployment & overwork among middle-aged men. Rather than immediately ending prevention work after a decline in the number of suicides has been noted, strategies should be implemented on a long-term basis. (42 refs.)