Almost half of the young in Japan have suicidal thoughts
Source: Middle East Insurance Review | Jun 2023
Amidst a super-ageing population, rapidly reducing birth-rate and increasing life expectancy, Japan also has to grapple with increasing numbers of its young people harbouring suicidal thoughts.
According to a national survey by Nippon Foundation almost half of young people (45%) in Japan have had suicidal thoughts with a majority of those respondents saying they did not speak with anyone about their feelings.
The survey sought responses from 501,018 people between the ages of 18 and 29 in November 2022 and received valid responses from 14,819. The findings of the survey were released in April 2023.
The survey found that 56.6% of those who had suicidal thoughts did not speak to anyone about it, while 12.4% of people said they opened up to friends and 11.7% to their mothers. More than half of the respondents were unaware of organisations or support groups that help those with suicidal thoughts.
Overall, the report showed that 44.8% of respondents had experienced suicidal ideation, citing difficulties in their relationships with others, bullying and anxiety over their future employment or educational prospects. Among those who had suicidal thoughts, 40.8% said they had prepared to take their own life or attempted it.
According to Japanese health ministry data, suicide was the leading cause of death for young people from 2019 to 2021.
According to government data released in May 2023 Japan’s child population aged 14 and younger fell for the 42nd consecutive year to hit a new record low of 14.35m as of 1 April 2023 down by around 300,000 from the year before. Japan’s overall population shrank by 556,000 in 2022 to 124.9m. M