Published 19:57 IST, January 22nd 2021
Japan records increase in number of suicides for first time since 2009: Report
Japan’s National Police Agency (NPA) recently informed that the country recorded an increase in the number of suicides in 2020 for the first time since 2009.
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Japan’s National Police Agency (NPA) recently informed that the country recorded an increase in the number of suicides in 2020 for the first time since 2009. Following the report, Japan’s Health Ministry said that the impact of coronavirus pandemic may have affected the number as changes in economy and lifestyle had emerged during the spread of the deadly virus. According to NHK media outlet, nearly 20,919 people took their own lives in 2020, which is an increase of 750 from 2019, when the lowest-ever number of suicides per year in Japan was recorded.
It is worth noting that since 2009, the suicidal rate in Japan has been declining every year. However, according to the latest data, while the number of male suicides last year decreased by 135 and tootled nearly 13,843, female suicides, on the other hand, rose by 885 to 6,979, which was the largest number since 2015. Additionally, the number of child suicides in 2020 was also the highest on record and totalled 440 students from elementary, junior high and high schools.
Japan is one of the very few countries, which releases timely data on suicide, aiding other nations to devise policies on mental health. The country also stands at 58th rank in the Happy Planet index. However, it has been witnessing an upsurge in suicide cases in recent times.
Reason behind high suicide rate
Back in October, the NPA had also released a data which revealed that more people in the country died of suicide than due to COVID-19 in the entire 2020. According to the data, suicide claimed more lives in October alone that coronavirus in the entire year. Experts believe that the main reason for Japan’s high suicide rates includes long working hours, school pressure, social isolation and cultural stigma around mental health.
Additionally, Japan is the only G-7 country where suicide is the leading manner of death for young people aged 15 to 39. As the pandemic struck, schools were closed exposing children to stressful homes lives and pressure of lagging behind in homework and academics .it was worsened as contact with friends lessened. As per the National Center for Child Health and Development, which recently conducted a nationwide survey of more than 8,700 parents and children, 75% of Japanese schoolchildren showed signs of stress due to the pandemic. All this, teamed with a succession of celebrities taking their own lives has worsened the situation in Japan.
(With inputs from ANI)
Updated 19:57 IST, January 22nd 2021