The development of Japan’s suicide prevention after 1998 can be broken down into three phases. Firstly, some local governments started suicide prevention activities under the support of the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (1998-2005). Secondly, the government organized a liaison committee of related ministries and agencies for comprehensive suicide prevention measures (2005-2006). Thirdly, the passage of the Basic Act on Suicide Countermeasures raised great change (2006-). The Basic Act says suicide countermeasures should be implemented as a society-wide effort and the government established the Comprehensive Suicide Prevention Initiative (CSPI)in June 2007 under the Basic Act.
 In Japan,the number of suicides increased dramatically in 1998. This has led the society to treat the increase as the result of socio-economic problems and high-risk group approach hasn’t been paid enough attention. The issue confronting us is to focus on more effective measures, including high-risk group approach.