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Japan’s Child Suicides Hit Another Record in 2025 as National Total Falls Below 20,000

Preliminary data point to school pressures as the leading factor for those 19 and younger.

Overview

  • The youth toll reached 532 in 2025, up three from 2024, marking a second consecutive annual high in ministry records dating to 1980.
  • Among those 19 and younger, cited factors were led by school-related issues (316 cases), closely followed by health problems (315) and family issues (181).
  • By school level, the ministry reported 352 senior high school students, 170 junior high school students and 10 elementary school pupils.
  • By gender, female cases totaled 277, down 13 year over year, while male cases rose to 255, up 16.
  • Across the population, suicides fell to 19,097 with health issues cited in 11,293 cases, followed by economic or daily-life problems at 5,359 and family issues at 4,198.