1,799 suicides reported nationwide in April

Sad. This is what happens when a government tries to save the Olympics and not the people.

The Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare partially attributed the increase to the coronavirus pandemic, which has caused many people to lose their jobs or suffer a drop in income. It said women have been particularly hard hit financially by the pandemic.

And how did the elected officials deal with the impact of the pandemic on people's jobs and finances?

With subsidies to travel agencies and hotel owners in a pandemic, who turned around and laid off staff. Instead of payroll protection, paid furloughs, expanded unemployment for gig,part, and contract workers.

The priorities of the government, and their collusion with Japan Inc., couldn't be clearer and here is the result.

It said women have been particularly hard hit financially by the pandemic.

More likely because their husbands were laid off, and they could no longer go out for scones and crumpets. Belt tightening is a horrible thing.

Another failing of the Japanese government. Every possible box the Japanese screwed up and now everyday citizens are suffering.

Its criminal. LDP cronies should be in jail over this.

This is what happens when Covid Hysteria hits and it’s happening worldwide. People are afraid and lose hope because of non stop doom being broadcast at them left right and center.

if Japan had implemented draconian lockdowns the numbers would be far higher and with huge numbers seriously depressed.

"Sad. This is what happens when a government tries to save the Olympics and not the people."

Really? Please explain the following number:

Japan recorded fewer deaths in 2020 for first time in 11 years

https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2021/02/23/national/coronavirus-japan-deaths-2020/

Back to you. Please explain the link between the Olympics and suicide. If you can.

As said above, this is what happens when the priority is the Tokyo Olympics. Asking businesses to shut down so the numbers will be low to please the IOC has resulted in the loss of so many livelihoods and ultimately lives. Sad.

If you or someone you know in Japan are having suicidal thoughts, you can get help. Click here for more info.

Thank you JT.

Very strange that there were state of emergencies in both years in April. Why is there none this year. Maybe the lack of support from a crazy government.

More this year. Sorry.

@Falseflag: Correct again. Get out there and live folks.

Thank god there is no lockdown, lockdown is more dangerous than infection as proved until now.

Why is there 100% more make suicides than female?. This inequality needs addressing, why are men carrying more of the burden and pressure in this society.

What are the demographics of the people committing suicide? Particularly worrying of it's young people, they have their whole life Infront of them.

No mention about the age of suicide victims, but I assume there are many young and working aged people who would otherwise be able to help boost the damaged economy after the pandemic.

Suicide is a public health issue. At state policy and strategic levels, a holistic approach is necessary to save as many lives as possible under the virus-led crisis. Especially generational divide should be addressed.

The Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare partially attributed the increase to the coronavirus pandemic, which has caused many people to lose their jobs or suffer a drop in income. 

Many a times we have read here how unemployment and bankruptcies from the pandemic are low

and the Japanese economy hasn't been badly affected like other countries. Don't know what to believe

any longer.

It's a depressing time.

And a terrible response from a lame government.

And a terrible response from a lame government.

The problem of suicide is much bigger than the government in Japan. Suicide as a solution is part of the history and culture.

Again, very sad news. Yet, this Ministry is acknowledging some of the cold, hard facts about the sad state of affairs and deteriorating lives in Japan.

*- “The Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare partially attributed the increase to the pandemic, which has caused many people to lose their jobs or suffer a drop in income. It said women have been particularly hard hit financially by the pandemic.*

Now will the other Ministers listen and do something about all of this?

Our condolences on the loss of your Japanese friend @SurivanihC 6:17pm.

*- “There is no such thing as "Mental Health Help" in Japan. I had a friend who lived in Japan and she became depressed. She called 5 "Mental Health" clinics, and each one said over the phone "you are not depressed, there is nothing we can do for you". They asked her if she tried to hurt herself, and she said "not yet". 2 weeks later she was found dead in her apartment.”*

Many of us here have asked countless times for such a “helpline” to be linked to such an article of “National” interest. We imagine friends wish she had had access to such a thing.

Thankfully, they finally have posted it here tonight at the end of the article.

*- “If you or someone you know in Japan are having suicidal thoughts, you can get help. Click above [in the article] for more info.” -*

We ALL hope they continue such a policy each time.

Mental health and support is very important in the next century.

Easier financial help, form of UBI should be considered after the Pandemic, with a decline in population, decline in birth rates to alarming levels. UBI should be consider even if you start with small/low amount.

Help for those couples who want to start a family should be there.

Help for single people to find others, incentives to marry or stay together.

We have to do better without people asking, many Japanese would never ask for help or want to be a burden to someone else.

My cousin hung himself. Did not get any help here.

On this topic, @SurivaniC 6:17pm: Earlier today you posted some advice about several Japanese domestic issues:

*- “To anyone complaining: "What am I doing to make the situation that I am complaining about better?"*

Are there similar, suicide statistics and is there available help for mental health issues there, in China?

This is what happens when Covid Hysteria hits and it’s happening worldwide.

So why was the suicide rate in The US, for example, lower in 2020 than 2019? The UK in 2020 also saw no significant change. Both countries hit very hard by the virus and lockdowns, in contrast to Japan which had little ‘Covid Hysteria’.

Let’s ALL continue @HBJ 4:41pm, to stay on top of this, encouraging the media to ‘do their part’ in this, our host country and post this simple addendum with EVERY article related to “Mental Health” issues:

- “If you or someone you know in Japan are having suicidal thoughts, you can get help. Click here for more info.” -

Agreed, @HBJ 4:41pm “Thank you JT.” -

Some people can handle stress far better than others, those who can't end up hurting themselves and those around them, is it an act of selfishness or is it to escape reality?! I really don't know , but Japan seems to have a major problem , and I don't see much concern from either the government or the public.

What this article unfortunately seems to be missing is that in April 2020 there was a drop of 20% in suicides compared to 2019. In April 2020 around 1455 people committed suicide which is about 360 fewer than April 2019. This means that April in both 2020 and 2021 saw less suicides than in 2019.

While 2020 saw an an increase in suicides compared to 2019 by about 800, there were around 240 more than 2018 but less than 2017, 2016 and so on.

Just looking at raw numbers really is the wrong way to approach this. I've said it before under other articles concerning this topic. Yes, the virus will have had an impact on the number of suicides but we have no idea to what extent. By just attributing everything to the virus and the measures people run the risk of missing other reasons why people did or tried to commit suicide. It is like attributing the drop in April 2019 to the later start

...It is like attributing the drop in April 2019 to the later start of the academic year like some people were alluding back then.

If women are being hit harder then why are men mostly dying?

They're are literally two times more men than women offing themselves, but the author has the nerve to write that women are hit harder... Men's lives matter too, ya know? Although acknowledging this isn't very fashionable recently.

So about 126,474,200 people in Japan chose NOT to kill themselves.

None of the suicides killed themselves due to covid 19 or poverty. Their "reason" may have been covid or lack of money buy the real reason was THEIR inability to rationalize this problem. Killing yourself is not the answer to any problem.

The Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare partially attributed the increase to the coronavirus pandemic, which has caused many people to lose their jobs or suffer a drop in income. It said women have been particularly hard hit financially by the pandemic.

Exactly!

Financial hardship for the millions of people on zero hour contracts have been very sorely affected!

Does the government expect people to live on a 100 hundred thousand for a year?

In that scenario suicide might be an option

if Japan had implemented draconian lockdowns the numbers would be far higher and with huge numbers seriously depressed.

year on year increase in suicides about 3000, covid19 deaths so far with lockdowns over 10000,

so what if there were no lockdowns and the virus was free to spread for herd immunity, maybe the suicide rate would have been the same as before covid, but i can guarantee to the covid deaths would be far more than 10000, theres no easy answer for this pandemic, but doing nothing so that people can keep their jobs is certainly not it