stresses cause young people to commit suicide. In Adolescent Suicide and Academic Competition in East Asia, "Zeng Kangmin and Le Tendre Gerald examine hypothesized links between academic competition and adolescent suicide and explore how cultural and historical factors may perpetuate the myth that competition and suicide are linked in Japan" (513-528). Before World War II, the main industry in Japan was agriculture. Most Japanese planted rice and vegetables and they made their own food. Mamoru Iga mentions that after World War II, the government, as well as the system of education, has changed in Japan. In order to establish a strong country, the government emphasized the importance of education (37). Iga comments about education in Japan: "since education is the only means for raising social status and for achieving security for the masses, the desire for educational success is very strong" (37). Therefore, the government established the Juken system, which is an examination for students to enter universities. Many Japanese believe that getting into a good school is the first step of success in their lives. Iga describes how the level of a good school is decided: "Japanese educational insti
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