601 SDF officials committed suicide in last 10 years

In Japan, 601 personnel of the Self-Defense Forces have committed suicide during the last ten years.

Japanese Communist Party Ozawa Kazuaki raised this question at a Lower House committee meeting on July 16.

According to the Defense Agency data, the cause of suicide is unclear in many cases. Debts and illnesses are counted as major causes.

Ozawa said that his survey suggested that insidious bullying and brutal punishments by senior officers were also reasons for the suicides. He called for the elimination of the hierarchy-based bullying in the SDF.

The Agency's Personnel and Education Bureau chief promised to take proper measures in order to cope with the matter. (end)