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While the “Japanese art of arousing joy” is becoming a global trend, a recent report revealed that more people in the country died from suicide in October than from COVID-19 throughout the year. Japan, which ranks 58 on the Happy Planet index, has seen an increase in suicide cases in recent times. While the country has experienced a decline in suicide rates over the past decade, the COVID-19 pandemic coupled with mass occupation, social isolation and anxiety have reversed the trend.
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Suicides are on the rise in Japan
Japan is one of the very few countries that releases timely suicide data, helping other nations formulate mental health policies. According to the latest government data, in October alone, suicide caused more coronavirus deaths in the whole of 2020. According to the Japanese National Police Agency, a total of 2,153 people killed themselves last month, while the number of COVID-19 related deaths amounted to 2,087. According to experts, the main reasons for Japan’s high suicide rates include long working hours, school pressure, social isolation, and cultural stigma over mental health.
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Women are disproportionately affected
Although women account for a small percentage of total suicides in the country, the increase in suicides is increasingly occurring across genders. In October alone, suicides among women increased by almost 83% compared to the same month last year. Meanwhile, male suicides have increased by nearly 22% over the same time period.
The reason for the disproportionate rate was many. Women make up a large percentage of part-time workers in the travel and hospitality industry, which has largely borne the brunt of the pandemic. In addition, they have also faced a skyrocketing burden for unpaid care, and anxiety about their children has made matters worse. Another major reason was unprecedented domestic violence and sexual abuse by husbands, fathers, brothers and other household men.
Anxiety in children
Japan is the only G-7 country where suicide is the primary mode of death for young people aged 15 to 39. When the pandemic hit, schools were closed, exposing children to stressful family lives and the pressure of homework delay and illness. it got worse when contact with friends diminished. According to 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 from the pandemic. All this, coupled with a slew of celebrities who take their own lives, has made the situation worse in Japan.
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