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Japan appoints 'minister of loneliness' to help reduce suicide rate

Japan appoints 'minister of loneliness' to help reduce suicide rate

The national suicide rate rose for the first time in 11 years during the Covid pandemic.
23 Feb, 2021

Japan has appointed a “minister of loneliness” as the country deals with rising suicide rates.

According to Insider, the minister, Tetsushi Sakamoto, will be tasked with reducing loneliness and social isolation among residents through government policies.

Sakamoto is already in charge with dealing with Japan’s decreasing birthrate. Japan has one of the oldest populations in the world and its citizens aren’t having as many babies as it wants, which means a majority of its people are elderly.

Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga had told Sakamoto earlier that women are suffering from isolation more than men and the number of suicides is on the rise.

In fact, during the Covid-19 pandemic Japan saw a rise in suicides for the first time in 11 years. There were 2,153 suicides in Japan in October 2020, compared to 1,765 Covid-19 deaths that year.

The Japan Times quoted police statistics that said, 20,919 people took their own lives in 2020, up 750 from the previous year.

Comments

masood wazir Feb 23, 2021 07:59pm
We are self sufficient for such ministries as lot of people will be benefited by adding Minister for loneliness.
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Browngirl Feb 23, 2021 08:01pm
Japan needs to open up like Canada, or else it will die out in a 100 years or so.
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Khaled Feb 23, 2021 08:05pm
We need such a minister out here too.
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Dr. Salaria, Aamir Ahmad Feb 23, 2021 08:54pm
Too little, too late.
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St. Mercury Feb 23, 2021 09:42pm
Japan needs a cultural shift to get out of its present dilemma.
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Yasin Feb 23, 2021 09:55pm
Controlable if Japanese govt wants help I can guide free of cost
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People deserve better Feb 23, 2021 10:58pm
We need minister of development and jobs, shame on PTI.
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Zak Feb 24, 2021 01:44am
India needs one, as it's feeling lonely since everyone goes to Islamabad for everything.
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MALI Feb 24, 2021 03:02am
2000 people out of 130 million is negligible. Pakistan must be having tripple that ratio. Noone even counts.
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Tea is Fantastic !!! Feb 24, 2021 06:06am
Japan is civilized, modern and progressive but fragile !!!
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Zak Feb 24, 2021 09:20am
@People deserve better We need minister of development and jobs, shame on PTI. In India, it's hopeless, you won't get job or development.
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Kashif Saeed Mar 02, 2021 09:28am
At any given point in time, regardless of how progressive and advancing a nation is, there are problems it has to face- but the good thing about being a developed nation is that you can afford to have a Minister for Loneliness.
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