Japan’s Tojinbo Cliffs has a suicide vigilante who has reportedly saved hundreds of people: documented in Gatekeeper by Field of Vision. Via the Atlantic:
Yukio Shige is a retired Japanese police detective with a huge self-imposed burden: to patrol the Tojinbo Cliffs to stop people from jumping to their deaths. He talks individuals away from the steep drop and takes them to a cafe, working with volunteers to help these individuals seek mental help. Gatekeeper is a remarkable and intimate 39-minute documentary that follows Shige as he monitors the sheer cliffs, which have become a notoriously popular destination for suicides in Japan. So far, he’s saved over 500 people. Still, it’s a massive undertaking with societal challenges: Japan has one of the highest suicide rates of any developed country. An average of 70 people kill themselves every day.
More on Japan Today:
“I’m the chotto matte man.” “Chotto matte” means, “Hold on, wait.” Don’t jump yet. Talk to me first. […] You can tell, generally, when a solitary wanderer is no mere sightseer. If someone looks troubled, Shige or one of the others approaches and starts a casual conversation: “Hi, where’re you from?” “Leave me alone, I’ve had enough!” “Chotto matte…