Thread by @tylerblack32

In Japan, preliminary data released showed suicides increased sharply amongst children in 2020.

Elementary: 6 (2019) --> 14
Junior HS: 96 (2019) --> 136
High School: 237 (2019) --> 329

/1

2) Obviously, this is quite an increase. 41% in a year is significant and concerning. It is in very different from North America, which have so far have not shown a youth increase. (Similarly, suicides in Japanese women skyrocketed whereas no change in North America/Europe)

/2

It's important to note that this number has been increasing sharply for a while, this is definitely amplified however.

Japanese Student Suicides
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
2016: 244
2017: 250
2018: 332
2019: 339
2020: 479

/3

As well, for whatever reason, the "10-19" suicide rate has NOT followed the trend of decreases that the general Japanese population has seen.

(note this is 10-19, not 10-17.5ish, which is the school population)

/4

So certainly, this is the "big flag" that will likely get lots of attention in the media, as "suicide in Japan" is a popular media targets as well as this being data that supports the moral panic around children and the pandemic. And this data DOES support that concern.

/5

With increasing rates prior to 2020, even the government itself is cautious about attributing causes, and there was significant disruption to children's BREAKS this year due to the first state of emergency. Japan accelerated return to school.

/6

So, this is what the data is.

I'd encourage caution about interpreting what it means *in Japan*, let alone what it means for Kids in European or North American systems.

news source for 2020:

japantimes.co.jp/news/2021/02/1…

sources for japanese suicides historically:

npa.go.jp/publications/s…

source for "this problem has been increasing significantly for a while":

nippon.com/en/japan-data/…