YouTube responds to controversial 'suicide forest' video

The initial video Paul posted Sunday showed the prolific social media user trekking with friends in the Aokigahara forest near Mount Fuji. He seems aware the forest is sometimes chosen for suicides but is surprised to see what appears to be a body hanging from a tree.

The video received six million views before being removed amid a firestorm of outrage on Twitter.

The Aokigahara forest is often called "Suicide Forest" where many people in Japan chose to take their own life. The Mount Fuji forest has been known for suicides because its seclusion means people know they won't be found for a long time.

Adding to the anger were outtakes of the video -- which remained in circulation on Twitter -- in which Paul is seen laughing and joking about the incident.

"When my brother found my sister's body, he screamed with horror & confusion & grief & tried to save her," actress Anna Akana tweeted.

"You do not walk into a suicide forest with a camera and claim mental health awareness."

Another Twitter user wrote, "i'm truly sickened by this logan paul situation. i lost my brother to suicide... my brother took his own life by hanging himself... how insensitive and sick can you be to film someone in that state."

In his apology, Paul said he had posted the video in a mistaken effort to draw attention to the problem of depression and suicide.

"It's easy to get caught up in the moment without fully weighing the possible ramifications," he said in the statement.

"I'm often reminded of how big a reach I truly have & with great power comes great responsibility... for the first time in my life I'm regretful to say I handled that power incorrectly. It won't happen again."

Japan has a per capita suicide rate among the highest in the world, with more than 21,000 occurring a year, according to government data. Many blame the high rate on the value Japanese place on conformity. Suicide also does not have the religious stigma here it does in other cultures and has been portrayed sometimes as an honorable way to take responsibility.