Child Suicides in Japan are Skyrocketing

By Mia Stevens

A report published on Wednesday by the ministry of education highlights the increasing amounts of suicides amongst Japanese students.

Currently Japan has reported 415 suicides among school children aging from 6 to 18 during the 2020 school year. It’s the highest number since records began in 1974.

The reason behind more than half the suicides are unknown but a range of factors have been said such as family problems, poor grades, relationships with peers and illness. “The increase in suicides is extremely alarming,” Eguchi Arichika, the head of the children and student affairs division of Japan’s education ministry, told NHK.” The pandemic has also taken a major effect on the children and their school life which could be another contributing factor.