Japan’s suicides soar 16% in second wave of COVID-19 after falling in first: study

Suicide rates in Japan rose in the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, especially among women and children, even though they fell in the first wave when the government offered generous benefits to people, a study found.

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

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

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

But the decline reversed – with a suicide rate of 37% for women, about five times more than for men – as the protracted pandemic wreaked havoc on industries dominated by women, increasing the burden on working mothers, while increasing domestic violence, the report said.

The study, based on data from the Ministry of Health from November 2016 to October last year, found that the suicide rate among children increased by 49% in the second wave, which corresponds to the period following a nationwide school shutdown.

Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga this month issued a COVID-19 state of emergency for Tokyo and three surrounding prefectures in an effort to stop the resurgence. He expanded it to seven more prefectures last week, including Osaka and Kyoto.

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

“People are concerned about COVID-19. But many people have also committed suicide because they lost their jobs, lost their income and couldn’t see hope,” he said. “We have to find the balance between managing COVID-19 and managing the economy.”

When you or someone you know is in crisis and needs help, resources are available. In an emergency, you can call 119 in Japan for immediate assistance. The TELL Lifeline is available to those who require 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 assistance.