Newest Japanese fad a killer

Japanese fads and crazes seem to be constantly blowing across the Pacific to catch on here in the U.S. Hopefully this one doesn't:

The number of Japanese killing themselves in groups after meeting through the Internet -- strangers afraid to die alone -- soared to a record 91 last year, nearly double that of 2004, police said on Thursday.

The deadly pacts pose a grim challenge for officials struggling to deal with Japan's high suicide rate, one of the worst among industrialised nations.

I guess once a craze like Pokemon runs its course, there just isn't much to live for anymore.