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2,153 people took their own lives in Japan in October. This is the highest number in a month since 2015. By comparison, a total of 2,057 people have died from corona in the country.
Affects women
There are still the majority of men who commit suicide in the country, but the October 2020 statistics look different.
According to the Washington Post, the number of female suicides increased by 83% in October, compared to the same period last year. In other words, there were almost twice as many women who committed suicide in October of this year than in October of last year.
For men, the number increased by 22% over the same month last year.
Many women work in the hotel and restaurant industry, the tourism industry, and retail. These are industries that have been hit hard by the pandemic. Many have lost their jobs and have significant financial problems. Furthermore, women have the primary responsibility for children in most Japanese families.
When the schools closed, many women had great difficulty taking care of children and work. Additionally, domestic violence is a major problem, according to the Washington Post article.
Mental health crisis
– We have not even had a closure of the country, and covid has minimally affected the country in relation to other countries. Yet we see this huge increase in suicides. Professor Michiko Ueda of Wasede University in Tokyo told the Washington Post. He is an expert in suicides.
Professor Ueda warns that isolation and fear of job loss will lead to a mental health crisis in the country.
He believes that other countries will also experience a crisis as a result of the pandemic.
– This may mean that other countries will also see a similar or greater increase in the suicide rate in the future, says the professor.
Japan is one of the few countries in the world that publishes suicide rates several times a year. Therefore, Ueda believes that developments in the country can give other countries a picture of how the crown crisis can affect the population.
At the peak of suicide
Suicide is a major social and national problem in Japan. The country has long had one of the highest suicide rates in the world at 18.5 suicides per 100,000 inhabitants, according to the WHO. By comparison, Norway has around 11 suicides per 100,000 inhabitants, figures from the National Institute of Public Health show.
There are several reasons why many in Japan take their own lives. Experts point to long working hours, pressure in schools and loneliness. At the same time, it is taboo to talk about mental health problems.
In recent years, however, suicide rates in Japan have declined. Even when the corona pandemic was at its peak in the country from March to May, the numbers did not increase. But this fall, this has changed, writes the Washington Post.
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