Fewer Japanese are taking their own lives, a positive sign in a country with one of the world’s highest suicide rates.
Fewer Japanese are taking their own lives, a positive sign in a country with one of the world’s highest suicide rates.
The health ministry said Thursday that 21,897 people committed suicide last year, down from more than 30,000 in 2011 and the lowest since 1994. Of those, 15,121 were male and 6,776 were female. It was the seventh straight year the number has declined. Experts say it’s difficult to pinpoint a reason for the decline, attributing it to a combination of factors. The government has made a determined effort to tackle the issue, starting with national legislation in 2006. Consumer loan laws have been revised to try to keep people from taking on too much debt, while awareness campaigns have helped bring the issue into the public eye.
