Japanese TV presenter Ako Kawada committed suicide by inhaling a lethal amount of toxic carbon monoxide gas.
The 29-year-old freelance presenter’s body was found in a car belonging to her talent agency in Tokyo’s Minato-ku on Monday morning. Traces of burned charcoal were also found in the vehicle.
A suicide note addressed to the TV personality’s parents was found on the dashboard of the car, but she didn’t mention what had been worrying her enough to take her own life.
She had however posted a message on her blog recently saying how she felt mentally and physically fatigued. [Mainichi]
One of the saddest things in life is when people who wanted to live are not given the chances while people who have to opportunity to enjoy their life have decided to end theirs.
Condolences to her parents. Rest in peace Ako, regardless.
Wht a moron.. geez
if she’s tired and fatigued because of work then she should try to quit the job..
too bad she’s pretty as well..
i also think that she’s pretty.
but she’s dead now, i don’t think anyone should comment on how stupid of her for committing suicide.
different people have different tolerance limits to stress and sadness.
some people might say, “what in the world can’t be resolved?”
but it’s not her fault that she couldn’t control her emotions over her problems.
honestly, i do know a lot of people who’ve thought of committing suicide before, including myself.
and the reason why a lot of these people are still alive right now is probably because they are a bit more optimistic than Ako.
for me, i know that my emotions can go really extreme at times, but i do calm down and in general, i’m a happy person.
basically, everyone is different.
i do feel sorry for Ako, but i do not think she is a moron for doing what she did, as i have in the past, felt the same way she did.
Perhaps she suffered from mental depression. Usually a very treatable condition. Perhaps the high suicide rate in Japan is indicative of a poor public health policy towards mental health?
Depression is a scary thing. I have a few friends that have to rely on medicines to control their depression… one of them told me that sometimes she is just not herself anymore, that the emotion will simply take control of all logical sense.
It is a sad thing to see people taking their life, and it is still a selfish act regardless of depression or not. At the end of the day, it’s the family members that are going to suffer.
Boyd… there was a report released a few months ago. The mental health policy and facilities are ok in Japan, but it’s the culture that cause the high suicide rate. Most Japanese would not seek any medical or councelling about their mental health… ego or shy, I am not really sure, but it’s who they are.
I don’t think we can judge on what she went through, how horrible her final decision may have been. My heart goes out to her family and friends, the hardest part for them is that they may never know what drove her to do this. She must have been really desperate.
Some of you probably haven’t dealt with chemical imbalances in the brain…because you can’t blame a person entirely for losing motivation, happiness, energy and the will to live. Obviously her problem is more than just casual fatigue and stress…perhaps she wasn’t properly diagnosed yet with a disorder. I think if we want to help people on the verge of suicide, then we shouldn’t place any judgements on them or on those who have already passed away. I just find society disgusting when they have to judge suicide. If we already know that mentally unstable people won’t seek help on their own, then why can’t friends and family do something about it when they start to suspect? I mean if that person continues living the way they are, aren’t they the ones suffering and living only for the sake of family. In their conditions, they won’t be productive nor be able to provide for anyone if they are in deep depression. Depression is treatable, but serious depression is long-term…just doesn’t go away with a couple months of meds and therapy. I agree with everything bb wrote above..everyone experiences emotions differently. Society has such ridiculous expectations of HUMANS and perhaps some people aren’t prepared to adapt so they seek suicide, alcoholism, sex addiction or drug addiction. But I think alcoholism and addictions are more selfish if the addict is stealing money, spreading diseases, using people, treating people badly, commiting crime, etc.
sooo sad, that of all the options she can get why taking her own life??i mean i thought females are more of a survivor when it comes to dealing problems in life cause they have lots of outlet…you know family…girlfriends…shopping…salon…
while the guys are just being with themselves spending the night drinking…
well, japanese have their so-called HARAKIRI…
ai….. i don’t know her, but rest in peace ako.
Sometimes suicide is not a disorder at all, but just a decision. It doesn’t have to be a chemical imbalance or mental problem and it’s NOT a selfish act. You think she should suffer whatever she was going through, be miserable possibly for the rest of her life for the sake of others? That’s selfish to expect anyone to live for that reason. Nobody knows why she felt she had no other choice other than to end her life. Hopefully she explained why in the note she left on the dash for her parents to at least try and give them some understanding of what she was going through. All we can do is pray for Ako and for her family and friends she has left behind.
Sorry to post this…
There are a lot of suspicious points and there is a huge discussion regarding her death in 2ch(Japanese web site).
According to this web site:
The owner of the car is her agency “Pearldash” and mostly used by the president Mr. T.
The president Mr. T is believed to be in close relation with Japanese Mafia and is missing since her death.
The car was parked on the load side near the apartment of Mr. T.
Mr. T sent several blackmails to make her give up her new American boy friend.
Mr. T made her pregnant and forced her to get an abortion
The person who found her and called police is also missing.
Two charcoal briquettes were used, which is unusual for suicide of a Japanese woman at her age.
Only driver’s side window was sealed and navigator’s side door was unlocked, which can mean somebody escaped from the navigator’s side door.
JP media and police seem to be trying to end the story with a normal suicide without making necessary investigations.
This agency and its group including “Company-K” and “B production” have a powerful influence on JP media and can easily cover up scandals.
This group has a close relation ship with Japanese famous religious organization.
This group with the mafia and the religious organization even have power to control JP Police.
Mr. Shimizu, former president of “Drive music” which is a group company of “Company-K” also found dead in the end of last year, also reported as a suicide using charcoal briquettes. It is said that Mr. Shimizu had some troubles with Mr. T.
Mr. T became stronger and a nuisance for other VIPs in the group.
The head of the mafia recently had medical operation in US by FBI’s coordination in exchange for some information.
JP show business is a major revenue source for Japanese Mafia and religious organization.
There are many suspicious suicide or accidental death in JP show biz especially around this agency group.
Thanks for the note anon#10… interesting read, but it would only remain as gossips without solid proof.
My deepest condolences to her family.I have depression and have lived with it for thirty years .In july i took an overdose of pills,thirteen years ago i took a bottle of sleeping pills .I have been out of work because of this,yes i had treatment then and am now also in treatment now .It has been horrible for me and my family because for fifteen of those years i was undiagnosed.Anyone who thinks that crying all day and rocking back and forth while in bed and not being able to do normal everyday tasks and having severe fatigue, is the persons fault is wrong.My suicide attempts happen
suddenly not planned usually when i am very fatigue and not feeling well.The problem
is peoples attitude in general they call us fruitcakes,loonies etc.i have never harm anyone physically because of my illness,i pay taxes,own a house and dress just like everyone else and held a job up until july so please don’t assume why she did it . just know that she had a medical condition that goes beyond her control I WILL KEEP HER IN MY PRAYERS.
i very sorry to here about her death . i knew her when she was in usa i was her
boyfriend . i still think about her i’m alot . i will always miss her
love you
well I guess if the movie producer and all other high regarded media stopped obssessing over suicide it would be a good thing already!
the media are playing a huge part in it and they should realise the impact of their influence towards a young or less young generation.
i can understand her feelings but i guess there is something lacking in japan which is religion, my religion tells me to have hope and hope in one god who guides me and help me throughout my life. not to despair. because being in despair brings up depression, where suicide lies behind and other diverse mental issues. thus do not despair, Allah is with the believers.
may Allah guide you,
cheers
also the society we’re living in is not helping, it has lost a lot of its value, and relied on materialism and other bad factors that are making our lives more difficult than it should be. 100 ago we would never heard of such things happening.
i guess, the media must like t.v channel, radio or newspaper must post alot of awareness, telling people to cherish their life. If u view all religion, commiting suicide is
the most biggest crime of all in a person life. The soul will be torture thoroughly and cruelly.
Everything had option in our life, it is up to us to decide and best of all “dont give-up”!
God made us to be happy in this world, and have faith!