Suicide in Japan: present condition and prevention measures

This article introduces the reader to present conditions and suicide prevention measures in Japan. The suicide rate has increased gradually since the early 1990s, reaching a postwar peak in 1998. The number of suicides has remained at about 30,000 every year since 1998. Middle-aged (55-59 years) and elderly men have especially high suicide rates. In 2002, The Council of Learned People on Measures Against Suicides (organized by the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labor, and Welfare) released its report on national suicide prevention strategies. Although national suicide prevention strategies have just begun to be established, some prefectures or regions have undertaken unique suicide prevention measures.     

China’s silk road economic belt initiative in Central Asia: economic and security implications

Asia Europe Journal - The Silk Road Economic Belt (SREB) initiative, launched by Xi Jinping in 2013 as the Central Asian component of the Eurasian Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), is presented as a...     

Preventing elderly suicide through primary care by community-based screening for depression in rural Japan

Depression is a major cause of suicide among the elderly. Few previous community-based interventions against depression have reduced the suicide rate. This study aims to evaluate outcomes of a community-based program to prevent suicide among the elderly using a quasi-experimental design with a neighboring reference group. The program, including depression screening with follow-up and health education through primary care and public health nursing, was implemented for 10 years in Matsudai town, a rural area of Japan (population 6,015; suicide rate per 10(5) [65-year-olds] for males 290.6, and for females 361.3). Changes in the suicide risk were estimated by the incidence rate ratio (IRR). The female risk of completing suicide in the intervention area was reduced by 70% (age-adjusted IRR: 0.30; 95% CI: 0.14-0.67), while there was no change in the risk for males in the intervention area nor for males or females in the reference area (Kawanishi town: population 9,425; elderly suicide rate for males 212.2, females 151.9). A ratio of the female IRR in the intervention area to that in its prefecture was also estimated at 0.45 (95% CI: 0.19-0.97), showing that the reduction of suicide risk in the intervention area was greater than the historical trend. A community intervention against suicide using management of depression with nonpsychiatric, primary health care would be effective for elderly females, but not males.     

Do public sector organizations ensure labor ethics? Perspectives from ethics and workplace spirituality in Bangladesh's garment sector

The suppression of labor rights is a matter of serious concern in developing countries. Yet little is known about the role of public agencies in protecting the rights of underprivileged employees. Hence, this study aims to examine the reasons behind the persisting labor exploitation in private enterprises despite the presence of public governance and labor codes. Data was collected through in-depth interviews as well as archives from different external and internal agencies of privately owned garment enterprises in Bangladesh including public administrators and multinational retailers. Kantian ethics and Islamic moral principles were used as theoretical lens to evaluate the labor practices of enterprises. This study contributes to the existing literature by introducing a process model of labor exploitation that depicts multinational power and poor governance to be the main drivers for the abuse of labor ethics. Specifically, political influence and institutional corruption drive poor governance. Public power is exercised to suppress marginalized labor institutions rather than enact labor codes. We found that ethical and spiritual values are not reflected in labor practices and practical suggestions on enacting labor ethics through which the fair enforcement of public power is offered.     

企业的生命力

考察世界长寿企业可以看出,长寿企业可持续发展的五大要因为:处理好与利益相关者的关系、强化企业优势、从远期战略出发、重视企业安全、长期稳定发展,另外还有维护事业持续发展的强大意志力量,即“生存志向”。     

Is a Human Security Approach Possible? Compatibility between the Strategies of Protection and Empowerment

This article explores the delivery of strategies for human security,protection and empowerment, using as case study the UN AssistanceMission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) during 2002 and 2003. This UNoperation took place in the context of the international interventionsin Afghanistan and was a direct consequence of the US-led waron terror and the post-conflict state-building process whichensued. It was tasked to address the immediate human insecurity.The analysis of this mission highlights the pertinent issueswhich relate to the development of an effective human securityapproach and which apply to UN operations in general. It isvital, in this respect, to examine the compatibility betweenthe strategies of protection and empowerment, as human securitynow forms a central value of UN operations. This exploration,in turn, questions the distinct role of the UN in dealing withhuman insecurity in post-conflict situations.     

Competitiveness and decent work in Global Value Chains: substitutionary or complementary?

Global Value Chains (GVCs) serve as significant sources of employment for developing countries, with various impacts upon their labour markets and workers. While participation in GVCs is important for economic upgrading, there is concern about a ‘race to the bottom’ happening in global competition. This paper attempts to understand how economic upgrading and decent working conditions interact in the proliferating GVCs, by looking at the garment exporting countries in Asia. It argues that worker profiles as well as local economic and labour market conditions have important implications on how competitiveness plays out in terms of working conditions.

Concurrence et travail décent dans les chaînes de valeur mondiales : substitutionnaires ou complémentaires?

Les chaînes de valeur mondiales (CVM) constituent des sources considérables d'emploi pour les pays en développement, avec divers impacts sur leurs marchés du travail et leur main-d'?uvre. Si la participation aux CVM est importante pour le développement économique, il y a néanmoins des inquiétudes concernant une « course vers le bas » dans la concurrence mondiale. Ce document tente de comprendre comment le développement économique et les conditions de travail décentes entrent en interaction dans les CVM en prolifération, en examinant les pays exportateurs de textiles en Asie. Il soutient que les profils des ouvriers, ainsi que les conditions locales économiques et du marché de la main d'?uvre, ont d'importantes implications sur la manière dont la concurrence se manifeste dans les conditions de travail.

Competitividade e trabalho decente em Cadeias Globais de Valor: substituição ou complementaridade?

As Cadeias Globais de Valor (GVCs) servem como fontes importantes de emprego para países em desenvolvimento, com vários impactos sobre seus mercados de trabalho e trabalhadores. Embora a participação nas GVCs seja importante para a melhoria econômica, há a preocupação de haver uma “corrida para baixo” na competição global. Este artigo visa compreender como a melhoria econômica e condições de trabalho decentes interagem na proliferação das GVCs, analisando os países exportadores de roupa na Ásia. Ele argumenta que os perfis dos trabalhadores e também as condições locais do mercado econômico e de trabalho têm implicações importantes no modo como a competitividade acontece em termos de condições de trabalho.

Competitividad y trabajo digno en las Cadenas de Valor Mundiales: ¿sustituyen o complementan?

Las Cadenas de Valor Mundiales (CVM) son importantes fuentes de empleo en los países en desarrollo y producen efectos diversos en los mercados de empleo y en los trabajadores. Si bien las CVM pueden ser importantes para el mejoramiento económico, es preocupante la “competencia para bajar los estándares” que resulta de la competitividad mundial. Este ensayo intenta descubrir cómo el mejoramiento económico y las condiciones de empleo dignas se articulan en las CVM en rápido crecimiento analizando los países exportadores de prendas de vestir de Asia. El ensayo sostiene que el grado de capacitación de los trabajadores, la situación económica y las condiciones del mercado laboral son factores importantes a la hora de analizar cómo la competitividad afecta las condiciones de trabajo.     

Securing Compliance Through the WTO Dispute Settlement System: Implementation of DSB Recommendations

The World Trade Organization (WTO) dispute settlement systemhas been making substantial contributions to improved compliancewith the WTO Agreements. Of particular note are the elaboratemultistage mechanisms installed in the system that facilitateand ensure the implementation of the DSB recommendations. However,these multistage mechanisms are not devoid of problems and shortcomings.Several improvements are proposed by Members and scholars buta number of disagreements exist, reflecting varied understandingof the nature of the dispute settlement system. Against thisbackground, this article first analyses the nature of the disputesettlement system. It argues that the primary purpose of thedispute settlement system is not to secure compliance in abstractobut to settle a dispute and remedy injury, and its compliancefunction is exerted only in the course of dispute settlement.Thereafter, in the light of the nature of the dispute settlementsystem, this article presents a comprehensive analysis of themanner in which the multistage mechanisms currently functionand how they should function.     

Factors Related to Sexual Assault Experience Among Early Adolescents in Japan

This study examined factors related to sexual assault among early adolescents in Japan. During a 6-month period, an anonymous questionnaire survey was distributed to 1,246 students ages 13– 15 years at eight junior high schools. Consent to participation in this study was obtained from a total of 1,125 (90.3%) students. It was found that the prevalence of sexual assault was higher among both female and male students who had sent a message/photo to or met a person they initially contacted via the Internet, while the prevalence was lower among students with a conservative attitude toward sexual activity. In addition, female students who recognized the signs of dating violence had less experience of sexual assault. These findings indicate the need for increased education about the Internet and dating violence for effective prevention of sexual assault.