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Child suicides in Japan are at a record high

News Desk || risingbd.com

Published: 20:41, 14 October 2021  
Child suicides in Japan are at a record high

Suicides among Japanese schoolchildren hit a record high during the last school year, according to an education ministry report published Wednesday.

Japan recorded 415 suicides among schoolchildren aged 6 to 18 during the 2020 school year -- the highest number since records began in 1974.

A range of factors were behind the suicides, including family problems, bad school results, relationships with other children and illness, Japan's public broadcaster NHK reported. The reason behind more than half of the suicides reported last school year was unknown, NHK said.

The figure was 31% higher than the previous school year, when 317 schoolchildren died.

"The increase in suicides is extremely alarming," Eguchi Arichika, the head of the children and student affairs division of Japan's education ministry, told NHK.

Japan's education ministry carries out an annual survey of schools across all levels and compiles data on suicides, bullying and truancy.

Wednesday's report also found that more than 190,000 elementary and junior high school students were out of class for 30 days or more last school year, NHK said. That's a record high -- and about 8% higher than the previous year.

Agencies

Dhaka/Nasim