Number of suicides among elementary, junior high, and high school students reached a record high of 527 last year.
Tokyo - While overall suicides in Japan dropped to their second lowest number since record-keeping began, suicides among young people reached a grim milestone last year.
According to preliminary data from the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare, an estimated 22,682 people died by suicide nationwide in 2023, a decrease of 1,569 from the previous year. This marks the second lowest figure since record-keeping began in 1978. Of those, 13,763 were male and 6,505 were female. The leading cause cited was health problems, followed by economic and livelihood issues. Troubles related to social media and the internet were also confirmed as contributing factors.
However, a stark contrast emerges when focusing on younger demographics. A record high of 527 elementary, middle, and high school students died by suicide, a concerning increase of 14 from the year prior. This marks the highest number since 1980. This figure includes 15 elementary school students, 163 middle school students, and 349 high school students.
In response to these alarming figures, the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare has announced plans to strengthen suicide prevention measures for children. These measures include expanding counseling services through social media platforms and establishing crisis response teams to provide guidance to teachers and school staff in the event of a student suicide attempt.
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