|
 Suicide has a long history in Japan as a way of avoiding shame or
dishonour, and its suicide rate had long topped the Group of Seven
nations, but a concerted national effort brought numbers down by
roughly 40 percent over 15 years - although they rose in 2020 due to
stresses brought on by the coronavirus pandemic, the Health Ministry
said.
While the overall number of suicides edged down by 74 to 21,007 from
the year before, the number of women who took their own lives rose
by 42 to 7,068, the second straight year of increase, according to
data from the National Police Agency.
By contrast, the number of men who died by suicide decreased by 116
to 13,939.
No explanations for the difference were
immediately available, but officials have
previously said the coronavirus pandemic placed
extra stresses on women due to a number of
reasons, including job losses in the service and
retail sectors where women tend to work.
[to top of second column] |
The number of suicides peaked at 34,427 in 2003,
alarming policymakers who drew up a
comprehensive prevention programme launched in
2007. By 2019, just before the coronavirus
struck, suicides had decreased to just over
20,000.
(Reporting by Elaine Lies; Editing by Raju
Gopalakrishnan)
[© 2022 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.] This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Thompson Reuters is solely responsible for this content.
 |
