Photo/Illutration Shinsuke Yoshitake (Asahi Shimbun file photo)

In his picture book titled “Nigete Sagashite” (Flee and seek), author and illustrator Shinsuke Yoshitake says: “There are all sorts of people in this world. … Among them, there are bound to be individuals who aren’t good at using their imagination.”

He goes on to note that when you are treated horribly by such people, there is just one thing you need to do: Flee.

Just flee, he repeats. That’s your only course of action, he insists, because your tormentors will not have a change of heart and relent.

Yoshitake’s advice sounds quite persuasive, probably because he is speaking from experience. During an interview with The Asahi Shimbun, he once admitted to going through a prolonged period of being stuck “in a bad place.”

According to the health ministry, a record 529 elementary, junior and senior high school students killed themselves last year.

Adult suicides have been on a decline in all age groups, but the opposite is the case with minors. How should we interpret this somber reality?

“School problems” topped the list of causes/reasons for suicides among young people, totaling 272 cases. And what is especially troubling is that 60 of those cases had to do with “disagreements with school friends" (excluding “ijime” bullying).

Did those youngsters of the “digital generation” struggle with personal relationships? What sort of “actions lacking in imagination” could have driven them to suicide?

There is no shame whatsoever in fleeing. In fact, it is a brave and necessary choice for protecting your peace of mind. And after you’ve fled, please give yourself time to recover, until you feel ready to walk slowly again.

At the start of his picture book, Yoshitake urges his readers to begin looking for “someone really important.” Such a person may be right next to you, or be found in a book or a film.

It may take some time to meet that person, says Yoshitake, but he/she exists for certain.

--The Asahi Shimbun, Nov. 8

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Vox Populi, Vox Dei is a popular daily column that takes up a wide range of topics, including culture, arts and social trends and developments. Written by veteran Asahi Shimbun writers, the column provides useful perspectives on and insights into contemporary Japan and its culture.