Number of Suicides in Japan Falls Below 20,000

Record Low Overall

Data compiled by the Ministry of Health, Labor, and Welfare based on statistics from the National Police Agency shows there were 19,097 suicides in Japan in 2025. This was a decrease of 1,223 from the previous year and marked the third successive annual decrease. It was the first time for the total to fall below 20,000 since records began in 1978. By gender, 13,117 men and 5,980 women took their own lives. The suicide rate, defined by the number of suicides per 100,000 people, decreased by 1.0 to 15.4.

The most common reason people committed suicide was health problems, which was a contributing factor in 11,293 deaths. This was followed by economic or livelihood issues (5,359 suicides) and family issues (4,198 suicides).

By age group, the most suicides were among people in their fifties at 3,732, followed by those in their forties at 2,951. There were decreases among all age groups except for those “under 20,” with a notable drop among older men.

Suicides among schoolchildren and students decreased by 3 to 1,074. Among these, the number of elementary, junior high, and high school students who took their own lives rose by 3 to 532, the highest level since records were first compiled in 1980. The number of girls, at 277, exceeded the number of boys, at 255, for the second successive year.

The total number of suicides for schoolchildren remained between 300 and 400 from 2011 until the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, when it spiked to 499. However, even after the pandemic ended, it has remained around 500.

The number of suicides decreased in 40 of Japan’s 47 prefectures. The prefecture with the highest suicide rate was Yamanashi with 21.4, followed by Niigata, at 20.2, and Aomori, at 19.6. The lowest rates were in Tottori with 10.7, Ishikawa with 12.5, and Kyoto with 12.7.

The Ministry of Health, Labor, and Welfare says that in many cases people feel driven to kill themselves because of social issues that can be addressed. In response, the government is promoting comprehensive suicide prevention measures involving health, medical care, welfare, education, labor, and other fields. It has set up a dedicated website with telephone hotlines and services on social media, such as Line. The site provides easy-to-understand information about government measures to prevent suicides.

The Children and Families Agency website also includes a section making it easier for children to find a helpline.

Data Sources

• Data on suicides in Japan (Japanese) from the Ministry of Health, Labor, and Welfare.

(Translated from Japanese. Banner photo © PhotoAC.)