The Number of Children Who Died by Suicide in Japan Set a Record High in 2025

Illustration. (Unsplash/Eva Blue)

JAKARTA - The number of children in Japan who died by suicide in 2025 reached a record high for the second consecutive year, an increase of three from the previous year to 532 children, according to preliminary government data released Thursday.

The highest figure since records began in 1980 comes despite an overall decline in suicides across the country, with the number of people taking their own lives falling to 19,097, below 20,000 for the first time.

Suicide among children remains above 500 cases each year since the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the Ministry of Health, Labor, and Welfare.

In the reporting year, 352 high school students died by suicide, followed by 170 junior high school students and 10 elementary school students, according to the ministry, as reported by Kyodo News on January 29.

Based on gender, girls accounted for 277 cases, down 13 children from the previous year, and boys accounted for 255 cases, up 16 children.

Regarding the causes, school-related problems were mentioned in 316 suicide cases among people aged 19 years and under, with health problems mentioned in 315 cases and family problems in 181 cases.

Overall, boys accounted for 13,117 cases, down 684, and girls accounted for 5,980 cases, down 539.

Health problems were mentioned in 11,293 cases and problems related to economics and daily life in 5,359 cases, with financial difficulties and large debts being particularly prominent. The number of suicides related to family problems reached 4,198.

Meanwhile, the number of suicides per 100,000 residents is 15.4, down 1.0 from the previous year.