Japan’s local media have reported that suicides among children in the country are at their highest in over four decades, citing the education ministry.

With the pandemic resulting in school closures and disruptions in classrooms last year, 415 children from elementary to high school age were reported to have committed suicide, revealed a survey by the education ministry. The number has increased by around 100 compared to last year. Moreover, this is the highest figure since record-keeping started in 1974, revealed the Asahi newspaper.

The findings indicate that changes in school and household environments during the pandemic had an enormous impact on children’s behavior… (Reuters, October 14, 2021)