Suicide in Japan Part II: COVID-19, and solutions in Japan

Efforts to lower Japan’s suicide rate became more aggressive in the late 2000s and saw a steady decrease over time. However, COVID-19 has not only stagnated Japan’s economy but is also affecting other facets of Japanese society. The coronavirus pandemic has brought an unexpected rise to Japan’s suicide rate.

It is imperative to shine light on the latest information regarding Japan’s suicide rate, and on the programs and steps taken to fight the high numbers.

More suicides than coronavirus related death

COVID-19 has sent shockwaves throughout Japan and has had a clear influence on the recent jump in suicides. In 2020, more people lost their lives to suicide than to COVID-19, which speaks volumes.

One primary reason for the spike in suicides in Japan is the increase of both women and children who took their own lives. However, during the first five months of the pandemic, rates fell by approximately 13% due to various factors such as school closures (e.g., less bullying), government subsidies and reduced working hours.

COVID-19 then returned. During the second wave between August and October, there was an uptick in Japan’s suicide rate of approximately 16%. This may be, at least for children, attributed to the reopening of schools after nationwide closures for summer break. As mentioned in Part I, bullying and school pressures account for many child and adolescent suicides throughout Japan.

The pandemic exacerbated vulnerable situations for women

Women accounted for a large proportion of individuals who took their life during the pandemic. There are several possible factors. The pandemic affected jobs primarily dominated by women adversely. As such, women were affected disproportionately to men regarding unemployment in 2020, especially non-regular workers (e.g., part-timers). Approximately 56% of non-regular workers are women, accounting for more than half of men engaged in similar types of work.

Moreover, reports of domestic violence were also higher in 2020 compared to the previous year. When comparing statistics in June 2019 and June 2020, the rate nearly doubled from approximately 10,000 to almost 18,000. Although suicide among men is still much higher, there was a decrease in disparity between both sexes during the first year of the pandemic.

Akita Prefecture’s measures in decreasing suicide cases

Local governments and organizations have implemented both counter and preventive measures to decrease the number of suicides throughout Japan.

For example, Akita prefecture sets a good example of battling the country’s suicide rate. Akita, which lies in the northern part of Japan, is one of Japan’s least populated regions. Many towns and villages are in rural areas, which means they are remote, have a small population and limited jobs. These factors may lead to mental issues of loneliness and depression. Moreover, long winters that are dark and cold might only exacerbate underlying problems.

Akita Prefecture has been tackling the suicide problem in Japan since the late 1990s. Since this time, the rate has fallen dramatically thanks to a plethora of programs and initiatives used to combat a dangerous situation.

Fighting suicide as a community

In Japan, it is common to keep struggles to oneself and mind one’s own business. A mentality held by many citizens was that depression and mental health issues were no one’s business aside from the one struggling from such problems. However, Akita Prefecture has made suicide a community problem.

This involved creating volunteers known as gate-keepers. These individuals receive training to understand and identify suicidal tendencies in others and connect such individuals with the proper experts who can offer help. Furthermore, Akita now has one of the largest help groups in Japan to identify suicide. Furthermore, Akita’s suicide rates have fallen exponentially since 2003. The rate stood at 44.6 per 100,000 but has since decreased to an annual rate of approximately 20.7 per 100,000 in 2019. The prefecture has taken the right steps to lower its suicide rate.

Mental health care professionals in Japan

Over the past twenty years, a slew of organizations and government initiatives have also sprung up around Japan. Individuals residing in Japan should know about a few organizations and programs if they find themselves looking for help.

TELL Japan: the leader in Japan in mental health care

TELL is an organization based in Japan that provides various types of support, including suicide prevention. The organization also has a suicide prevention hotline that is available to anyone in need. For individuals who would like to get involved, life support worker training is also available and is not limited to only those who live in Tokyo. Those who are contemplating suicide can reach out to their hotline and online chat service.

You can read our interview with TELL Japan here.

Befrienders

Befrienders provides free support for anyone dealing with emotional hardships or stress. Centers exist throughout Japan and internationally ,and phone calls are taken only in Japanese. Volunteers are also available to listen to callers’ daily struggles. According to the Japanese Befrienders website, these volunteers are determined to help decrease rates of suicide within the country, even if the decrease is a small one.

Japan has definitely become aware of its suicide problem and there have been great strides into decreasing rates. However, what more can Japan do to help combat these problems? Exploring other organizations and strategies used around the world and different attitudes toward mental health can help Japan make strides in mental health care.