Suicides in Japan jump 16% in second wave of COVID-19 after falling in first: study

Suicide rates in Japan have risen in the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, especially among women and children, although they fell in the first wave when the government offered generous handouts to people, according to a survey .

The suicide rate from July to October rose 16% over the same period last year, a drastic reversal of the 14% decline from February to June, according to a study by researchers at the University of Hong Kong and the Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology of Tokyo.

“Unlike normal economic circumstances, this pandemic disproportionately affects the psychological health of children, adolescents, and women (especially housewives),” the authors wrote in the study published Friday in the journal Nature Human Behavior.

The study found that the early fall in suicides was affected by factors such as government subsidies, reduced working hours and school closures.

But the fall was reversed, with a suicide rate rising 37% for women, about five times the increase among men, as the prolonged pandemic hurt industries where women predominate, increasing the burden on working mothers as domestic violence increased, according to the report.

The study, based on data from the Ministry of Health from November 2016 to last October, found that the child suicide rate increased by 49% in the second wave, corresponding to the period after the closure of the school across the country.

Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga issued a COVID-19 state of emergency for Tokyo and three surrounding prefectures this month to try to stem the resurgence. Last week it expanded to seven more prefectures, including Osaka and Kyoto.

Taro Kono, minister of administrative and regulatory reforms, said Thursday that while the government would consider expanding the state of emergency, “it cannot kill the economy.”

“People are worried about COVID-19. But a lot of people have also committed suicide because they’ve lost their jobs, they’ve lost their income and they haven’t been able to see hope,” he said. “We need to find the balance between managing COVID-19 and managing the economy.”

If you or someone you know is in crisis and needs help, resources are available. In case of emergency, call 119 in Japan for immediate help. The TELL Lifeline is available for those who need free and anonymous advice at 03-5774-0992. You can also visit telljp.com. For those in other countries, visit www.suicide.org/international-suicide-hotlines.html for a detailed list of resources and help.