Junior high school girl dies after jumping in front of train in apparent suicide

The Mainichi Shimbun
April 8, 2008
Source: http://mdn.mainichi.jp/national/news/20080408p2a00m0na006000c.html

HANNAN, Osaka -- A junior high school girl died after jumping in front of a train at a railway station here on Monday in an apparent suicide, police said Tuesday.

At around 3:45 p.m. on Monday, the 13-year-old, second-year student at a private junior high school in Wakayama jumped onto the tracks of the Nankai Railway's main line at Hakotsukuri Station in Hannan, and was hit by a train that was passing the station, local police said. She was pronounced dead at the scene.

Investigators suspect that she committed suicide, noting that what appeared to be a suicide note believed to have been written by the girl was left on a bench on the platform.

"I enjoyed practicing judo but I wasn't able to become strong. Thank you very much for supporting me even though it was a short period of time," the note partly reads.

A purse and shoes believed to belong to the girl were left on the bench.

(Mainichi Japan) April 8, 2008