Japan’s suicides rose in October to their highest level in more than five years, preliminary police data revealed on Tuesday, and the current trend is being blamed on the economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic. Japan is among a few major economies that release timely data on suicides as it is a persistent societal issue. The numbers hint at what may be going on around the world as countries grapple with the fallout from mass unemployment and social isolation that’s impacting certain groups of people more than the rest.
Many activists blame the coronavirus induced economic slowdown as the reason for a spike in the number of suicides. According to Reuters, preliminary police data showed that the total number of suicides had increased to 2,153 for October, an increase of over 300 from the previous month.
However, the case of suicides has risen significantly among women. The number of suicide cases rose by 82.6 per cent, accounting for 851 suicides, and for men, there was an increase of 21.3% in the suicide rates. Women have faced the brunt of coronavirus as they are employed in non-permanent jobs like retail or service jobs. Economic woes have affected women disproportionately, and they lost their livelihood potentially contributing to the increase in suicide rates.
Not only has the coronavirus caused unemployment to rise around the globe, but it’s also upended social norms and halted community interaction, key factors known to worsen mental health strain. Over 60 per cent of 130 countries surveyed by the World Health Organization said mental health services for vulnerable populations were disrupted as a result of the pandemic, according to a report released this week. The trend in Japan reveals that the pandemic’s also adding new, potentially deadly stressors: calls to domestic violence helplines have risen as families remain trapped at home together.
Additionally, seeking help for one’s ailments was stigmatised in Japan for long. The country has the highest rate of suicide among G7 nations. In 2007, the country launched a suicide prevention programme to stem deaths caused by suicide. This was triggered by the 2003 suicide numbers in the country, whereby 34,427 people killed themselves. Putting proactive measures in motion, and by identifying groups at the highest risk of suicide, the country was able to lower the rate of suicide among its citizens. In 2019, the numbers were down to 20,000.
