If you hate your job this much, maybe a career change is in order?

Overworked Policeman Stabbed Himself

Updated: 12:09, Monday June 04, 2007
An overworked policeman stabbed himself in the stomach so he could get time off, investigators in Japan have said.
The truth came out after detectives launched an attempted murder investigation but could not find any suspects matching the alleged victim's description.

The 44-year-old took a knife to himself because he was worn out by overtime and weekend working, they discovered.

He knifed himself at his home in north west Japan but told fellow officers he had been attacked.

They began to doubt his story when they couldn't get anywhere with the inquiry.

Suspicions were also raised because the officer had waited an hour before reporting the alleged attack, the spokesman said. His wounds were not life-threatening.

The officer, whose name was not released by police, had been in charge of disaster relief work for the aftermath of an earthquake in the area that killed one person, injured more than 300, and damaged or destroyed more than 14,800 homes.

Police thought he became distraught after putting in long hours without a break.

"He became very busy, he felt like he couldn't handle the work he had to do," said the spokesman.

The officer admitted the truth after he was released from hospital and is now under investigation for filing a false report.

Death from overwork, known as karoshi, has steadily increased since the Health Ministry first recognised the phenomenon in 1987.