These “apparent suicides” are getting weirder by the day. Seems to be a catch-all phrase, a kind of a Newspeak operation.
Probably less weird than it sounds. A few years ago I read an article about websites/forums where people discuss painless ways to commit suicide. Apparently they frequently suggest the use of a handful of chemicals to do the job. They even have warning signs you can print and tape to your door or car window to warn first responders of the danger. And yes, it is most prevalent in Japan where they tend to take things like this to the logical extreme.