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Suicides in Japan fall below 20,000 in 2019 for 1st time

The number of men who committed suicide in Japan last year decreased by 353 to 13,937, also down for the 10th consecutive year. The number of women who killed themselves came to a record low of 6,022, down by 528. (Shutterstock)
The number of men who committed suicide in Japan last year decreased by 353 to 13,937, also down for the 10th consecutive year. The number of women who killed themselves came to a record low of 6,022, down by 528. (Shutterstock)
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17 Jan 2020 03:01:34 GMT9
17 Jan 2020 03:01:34 GMT9

TOKYO: The number of people who committed suicide in Japan in 2019 came to 19,959, slipping below 20,000 for the first time since the statistics started in 1978, the health ministry said in a preliminary report Friday.

The annual total fell by 881, or about 4.2 pct, from the final number of suicides in 2018, marking the 10th straight year of decline.

The number of men who committed suicide last year decreased by 353 to 13,937, also down for the 10th consecutive year.

The number of women who killed themselves came to a record low of 6,022, down by 528.

The suicide figure per 100,000 population, or the suicide rate, went down to a record low of 15.8.

"The number decreased compared with the time when it was above 30,000," a ministry official said. "But the situation is still serious," the official added, indicating the ministry's determination to continue making efforts to prevent suicides, including by supporting those who made suicide attempts and listening to people's concerns via social media.

The number of suicides decreased in 32 of the country's 47 prefectures.

Yamanashi marked the highest suicide rate, at 22.3, followed by Akita, at 21.9, and Iwate, at 21.7.

Kanagawa came at the bottom of the list, with a suicide rate of 11.5. Kyoto was second from the bottom, with 12.4, and Osaka third, with 13.5.

On a monthly basis, the number of suicides across Japan dropped year on year in March-June and August-December. The monthly total was the highest in March, at 1,841, and the lowest in December, at 1,472.

Final numbers and breakdowns of the data for 2019, such as age distribution and jobs of those who killed themselves and motives for committing suicide, will be released in mid- March or later.

JIJI Press

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