Half of LGBTQ youth in Japan thought about committing suicide in past year

The Yomiuri Shimbun

14:56 JST, October 25, 2022

About half of LGBTQ youth aged 12 to 19 have thought about committing suicide in the past year, while 14% of them have attempted suicide, according to a survey by a Tokyo-based nonprofit organization.

The survey results indicate that a lack of understanding, prejudice and harassment by people around them have led them to become isolated.

The survey was conducted online in September by ReBit, an NPO which supports the education and career development of LGBTQ youth, and questioned LGBTQ people ages 12 to 34, of whom 2,623 provided valid responses.

In the survey, 48.1% of respondents aged 12 to 19 said they had considered suicide in the past year, while this figure was 40.3% for those in their 20s. The percentage of respondents who had attempted suicide was 14% among those aged 12 to 19 and 7.5% for those in their 20s.

“It is necessary for government bodies and support groups to deepen their understanding of LGBTQ youth who are at a high risk of committing suicide and becoming isolated, as well as to build a support system that will give all young people reassurance,” said Mika Yakushi, the 33-year-old head of the NPO.