Number of Suicides Decreases in Japan in 2024

Data compiled by the Ministry of Health, Labor, and Welfare based on statistics from the National Police Agency shows there were 20,268 suicides in Japan in 2024. This was a decrease of 1,569 from the previous year and the second lowest total since records began in 1978. The suicide rate, defined by the number of suicides per 100,000 people, decreased by 1.3 to 16.3.

Health concerns was the most common motivation for taking one’s life and was a contributing factor in 11,963 suicides. This was followed by economic or livelihood issues (5,075 suicides) and family issues (4,334 suicides).

By age group, the most suicides were among people in their fifties at 3,786 (a decrease of 408), followed by those in their forties at 3,205 (a decrease of 420). Suicides among schoolchildren and students rose by 53 to 1,072. Among these, the number of elementary, junior high, and high school students who took their own lives increased by 14 to 527, the highest level since records were first compiled in 1980. For the first time, the number of girls, at 288, exceeded the number of boys, at 239, and there was a noticeable increase in suicide among junior high and high school girls.

The total suicides for schoolchildren remained between 300 and 400 from 2011 until the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, when it spiked to 499. However, even after the pandemic ended, it has remained around 500.

The number of suicides decreased in 38 of Japan’s 47 prefectures. The prefecture with the highest suicide rate was Iwate with 22.9, followed by Yamanashi, at 21.9, and Niigata, at 21.2. The lowest rates were in Tottori with 12.1, Ishikawa with 13.4, and Kyoto with 13.9.

The Ministry of Health, Labor, and Welfare says that in many cases people feel driven to kill themselves because of social issues that can be addressed. In response, the government is promoting comprehensive suicide prevention measures involving health, medical care, welfare, education, labor, and other fields. It has set up a dedicated website with telephone hotlines and services on social media, such as Line. The site provides easy-to-understand information about government measures to prevent suicides.

The Children and Families Agency website also includes a section making it easier for children to find a helpline.

(Translated from Japanese. Banner photo © Pixta.)