Suicides in 2024 down for 2nd Year in Row

Jiji Press

12:57 JST, January 30, 2025

TOKYO (Jiji Press) — The number of people who committed suicide in Japan fell to 20,268 in 2024, marking the second consecutive year of decline and the second-lowest level after 20,169 in 2019, the Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry said Wednesday.

Elementary, junior high and high school students accounted for 527, the highest level since records began in 1980, with the number staying above 500 for three straight years. Of them, a record 163 junior high school students killed themselves.

The overall number of suicides among men fell by 1,099 from the preceding year to 13,763, while 6,505 women killed themselves, a decrease of 470. The suicide rate, or the number of suicides per 100,000 people, stood at 16.3.

Of the total, the number of people in their 50s was the highest by age group, at 3,786, though down by 408. Those in their 40s followed, with the number falling by 420 to 3,205. Suicides among students increased by 53 to 1,072.

The top cause of suicides was health problems, with 11,986 people taking their lives for such reasons, down by 417. Suicides caused by economic and livelihood problems decreased by 106 to 5,075 and those due to family problems dropped by 374 to 4,334. Those from internet and social media troubles hit a record 42.