[Nyororin]

I`m far far too late to this discussion... But I`ll drop my opinion on certain things, as I haven`t spotted them covered in a quick skim through the countless posts in here.

In my mind, angst is more an issue than straight out suicide. It seems, in my experience, that angst is not only accepted - but almost encouraged - in the US. On the other hand, angst is hardly an issue in Japan.
In the US, teenagers are far more likely to whine and talk about being depressed wanting to commit suicide, etc... Even if they really aren`t going to. But in Japan, if someone is going to do it they do it quietly without fanfare. You don`t see kids running around moping and whining at anywhere near the level in the US. Someone who is would be considered "dark" and odd and would make people uncomfortable. This is a stark contrast to the social groups which seem to make "dark" and moping a central point in the US.