Japan detergent suicide sparks panic

Just last week, at least 90 people were sickened by fumes in southwestern Japan after a teenage girl killed herself by mixing laundry detergent with cleanser in her apartment house.

On Wednesday, Japan's National Police Agency urged Internet providers to delete language from Web sites showing readers how to mix the chemicals, officials said Thursday. Some sites reportedly provide "poison gas" warnings that viewers can print out and hang on the outside of the door when they kill themselves.

The police request marked the first action against detergent suicides by the Japanese government, which has announced the goal of cutting the suicide rate by 20 percent in 10 years by reducing unemployment, boosting workplace counseling and filtering Web sites that promote suicide.

Reports said more than 50 people killed themselves by inhaling hydrogen sulfide gas in the past month. The police said they had yet to compile data on such deaths.

Seiji Yoshikawa, deputy head of the Internet Hot Line, which operates under the guideline of police, said the number of sites promoting detergent suicides "soared" in April with details showing how to make and use the deadly gas.

"They are rife on the Internet. Writing examples include 'you can die easily and beautifully' and 'this is much easier than charcoal-burning suicide," Yoshikawa said, referring to a once popular suicide method.