A Survey Reveals that Suicidal Thoughts are Experienced by 45% of Japanese Young People

In a shocking revelation, a survey shows that nearly half of the young population in Japan has experienced suicidal thoughts.

The survey by the Tokyo-based Nippon Foundation found that the country, which saw its population shrink by 556,000 in 2022 from a year earlier to 124.9 million, is seeing at least “one in two young people” have suicidal thoughts.

According to the Japanese Ministry of Health, suicide was the leading cause of death among young people in 2019, 2020 and 2021.

“Among 14,555 people between the ages of 18 and 29 surveyed…, 44.8% had suicidal thoughts in the face of problems such as difficult relationships with people close to them, bullying and anxiety about future educational or career paths,” according to the details. The poll published by Kyodo News revealed on Thursday.

About 40% of the 44.8% of young people have “attempted suicide or taken some steps towards preparing to kill themselves”.

The survey found that “traumatizations, such as sexual assault and bullying, played a large role, and when aggravated, the more likely it was that such thoughts would arise.”

Amid the disturbing trend of increasing suicidal thoughts among its youth, Japan recorded a record drop of more than 0.5 million in its already shrinking population in 2022, marking the twelfth consecutive year of decline.

Meanwhile, government data released Thursday showed the number of children in Japan aged 14 and under “fell for the 42nd year in a row to hit a record low … to 14.35 million as of April 1, down nearly 300,000 from the previous year.” . This age group includes foreigners.

Government data released last month showed that the country’s total population shrank by 556,000 in 2022 compared to the previous year to 124.9 million, with the number of Japanese citizens experiencing the largest decline ever.

As of October 1, the population, including foreign residents, was 124.9 million, with the number of Japanese nationals falling from 750,000 to 122 million, the largest margin of decline since comparable data became available in 1950.

The alarming trend points to Tokyo’s immediate need to create a social system to deal with the twin challenges of a declining birth rate and an aging population.

All of Japan’s 47 prefectures except Tokyo recorded population declines in the year to October last year, according to the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications.