Suicide

A strong theme in the book is death, which is common in many literary novels. In this work, it talks about suicide as a way to atone for one's sins and reestablish honor on the family and one's ancestors. When Bond comes into the mission, he knows nothing of this and is told by Tiger of the tradition of suicide in Japan.

Tiger states that twenty-five thousand members of their society kill themselves yearly. He notes stories such as one student who tried to saw his head off, a couple throwing themselves off Kegon Falls at Nikko, and that their Mihara volcano was a popular spot for suicide. He stated that the government even opened a "Suicide Prevention Office," at the peak of the volcano. Tiger tries to get Bond to understand why this happens by telling him that suicide is weaved into every aspect of the society...