The number of Japanese adults thinking of taking their own lives due to economic, social and emotional distress is on the rise, according to a new study by the Cabinet Office.
日本内阁府(Cabinet Office)新近进行的一项研究显示，由于经济、社会原因或情感上遭遇不幸而有过自杀念头的日本成年人正不断增多。
Of those surveyed, about one in four -- 23.4% -- aged between 20 and 50 had contemplated suicide at some point. That was up by four percentage points from a previous survey in 2008. Of those who had contemplated suicide in the latest survey, 22.7% had thought about it in the last year, up almost two percentage points from 2008.
Associated Press一项新的研究显示，有过自杀念头的日本成年人正不断增多。在被调查者中，约有四分之一、即23.4%的人（年龄在20岁到50岁）曾经一度考虑过自杀。这一比例较2008年的调查结果升高了四个百分点。在此次调查发现的这些考虑过自杀的人中，有22.7%的人在上一年有过自杀的想法，较2008年调查得出的水平升高了将近两个百分点。
The Cabinet Office surveyed 3,000 people in January aged 20 -- the legal age of adulthood -- and older. It used 2,017 written responses in compiling its findings. In addition to whether people had contemplated suicide, the survey asked how prevalent people felt suicide was in Japan, and what kind of effect the March 11, 2011 disasters had on their mindsets and interactions with others.
内阁府在1月份调查了3,000名年龄在20岁及以上的人（20岁是进入成年的法定年龄），在编写调查结果的过程中使用了2,017份书面调查反馈。除了是否考虑过自杀，调查中的问题还包括，你认为自杀现象在日本的普遍程度，以及2011年3月11日的灾难对人们的思想和与他人的互动带来了怎样的影响。
The suicide rate has been a growing concern in Japan. Around 30,000 people have killed themselves every year from 1999, an increase of about 10,000 from the years prior to this, according to the National Police Agency. The government estimated the economic impact of suicide and depression at $32 billion in 2009. On a per capita basis, Japan has one of the highest suicide rates in the developed world. In 2005, the rate was around twice that of the United States, and more than three times that of the U.K.
自杀率问题在日本越来越令人担忧。根据日本警察厅(National Police Agency)的数据，1999年以来，日本每年大约有3万人自杀，此前的年份里，这一数字为1万左右。政府估计，自杀和抑郁在2009年造成的经济损失达320亿美元。按人口比例计算，日本的自杀率处于发达国家中的最高水平。2005年，日本的自杀率约为美国的两倍，比英国的三倍还多。

In the latest survey, the percentage of those in their 20s who said they had considered suicide was especially high, at 28.4%. A weak economy and an uncertain future are thought partially to blame, according to a Cabinet Office official. Younger people face hardships competing for jobs and coping with the aftermath of last year's disasters, the survey found.
此次调查发现，20多岁年龄段人群中有过自杀念头的人所占比例尤其高，达到了28.4%。内阁府的一名官员说，经济的低迷和未来的不确定性被认为是造成这种现象的部分原因。调查发现，年轻人在职场竞争和处理去年灾难的后续影响方面面临着许多困难。
Many of those who considered suicide chose to confide in colleagues or family, or focused on hobbies or work to raise their spirits, the survey found. Only a few chose to seek professional help -- about 8.5% sought professional counseling.
调查发现，许多考虑过自杀的人选择向同事或家人吐露心声，或是通过把注意力集中于个人爱好或工作上来提振情绪。只有少数人选择寻求专业帮助──8.5%的人向专业人士进行过咨询。
Some called telephone help lines, which have been struggling to keep up with demand.
一些人拨打过电话求助热线，但这类热线服务一直赶不上需求。
Tokyo English Life Line, an English-language service, has even noticed an increase in calls from Japanese who can barely speak English. Between Jan. 1 and March 16 this year, about 60% of the calls made to TELL were from Japanese seeking counseling on matters ranging from relationships and employment to depression and suicide.
以英语为服务语言的东京英语生命热线(Tokyo English Life Line)甚至发现，几乎不能说英语的日本人打来的求助电话在增多。今年1月1日到3月16日，东京英语生命热线接到的求助电话中，有60%是日本人拨打的，他们寻求咨询的问题包括人际关系和就业，也包括抑郁和自杀。
'The main reason for this is that the Japanese Life Line (Inochi no Denwa) is unable to cope with the demand for help,' said Jason Chare, TELL's director. 'Out of sheer desperation to speak to anyone, they call TELL's English Life Line and try to be understood with whatever rudimentary English they have,' he said.
东京英语生命热线的主管Jason Chare说，造成这种现象的主要原因是日语生命热线无法满足求助需求。由于求助者不顾一切地想向他人倾诉，于是他们打电话给东京英语生命热线，希望能得到理解，尽管他们的英语水平非常有限。