Suicide is certainly not a joking matter. This is something Logan Paul recently learned the hard way after uploading a video of a dead body in Japan on YouTube.
The footage was reportedly taken from the Aokigahara forest located at the base of Mount Fuji in Japan. Paul and his group apparently stumbled upon the corpse during their visit to the notorious area where people supposedly go to end their existence.
The backlash from various people, including celebrities, prompted the removal of the footage, which already logged more than a million views before its takedown. Furthermore, Paul, a celebrity YouTuber, issued an apology on Twitter.
Dear Internet, pic.twitter.com/42OCDBhiWg
— Logan Paul (@LoganPaul) January 2, 2018
An Unexpected Encounter
According to sources, Paul's group supposedly encountered the body shortly after they entered the forest. The footage of the possible suicide victim was reportedly taken from different angles, with the face blurred.
One of his companions remarked that he "doesn't feel good," to which the YouTuber answered with "what, you never stand next to a dead guy?" He then followed with a laugh, which many considered as inappropriate given the circumstance.
Suicide Should Be Taken Seriously
Logan Paul explained that it was not his intention to make fun of an apparent suicide victim. Likewise, he noted that it was not done for the sake of views.
Furthermore, the YouTuber said that he intended to raise awareness and prevention. Unfortunately, his antics had the opposite effect and tarnished his image.
However, some Twitter users believe that the celebrity was well aware of his actions. The video was allegedly disrespectful toward people with mental illness, suicide victims, and Japan. The country is known for having one of the highest rates of suicide in the world.
Dear @LoganPaul, How dare you! You disgust me. I can't believe that so many young people look up to you. So sad. Hopefully this latest video woke them up. You are pure trash. Plain and simple. Suicide is not a joke. Go rot in hell. Ap — Aaron Paul (@aaronpaul_8) January 2, 2018
The Forest And The Reasons
It is possible that the reason why people believe that Paul's actions were intentional is the location where the video was taken. In Japan, the Aokigahara forest is already notorious for the number of deaths recorded in the area.
In 2003, local police reportedly counted a total of 105 bodies discovered. Since then, the authorities altogether stopped revealing the headcount of yearly deaths to shake off the association with the forest.
In fact, the local government erected signs along the hiking trails that implore those with suicidal thoughts to contact prevention groups or their families. Common causes of suicide in Japan have been attributed to debt, serious illness, and mental health problems.
When Logan Paul's group discovered the body, their guide apparently contacted the police right away. Meanwhile, they approached the apparent suicide victim's body and continued filming, which eventually ended up online.
