Tokyo: The number of suicides in Japan in 2021 was 21,007, down 74 from 2020.
These figures are reported in an official white paper compiled by the Ministry of Health.
According to the released white paper, 13,939 men took their own lives, which is 116 less than the previous year, while 7,068 women committed suicide, which is 42 more than in 2020.
A health ministry official suggested that the high suicide rate among women could be due to domestic abuse by partners due to the pandemic and the fact that the hospitality and retail sectors Many women lost their lives.
The white paper also points out that the number of men and women living alone has increased, which may be a contributing factor.
According to the report, the white paper follows the findings of a study released in August by a team of researchers, which also showed an increase in female suicides between 2020 and 2021.
One of the researchers, Associate Professor Taisuke Nakata of the University of Tokyo, said that women, who hold more irregular jobs than men, suffer more economically, while young men are more likely to be forced into isolation. happens.
