Japan appoints minister of loneliness

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Japan has appointed a 'Minister of Loneliness' after seeing suicide rates in the country increase for the first time in 11 years

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Japan has appointed a 'Minister of Loneliness' after seeing suicide rates in the country increase for the first time in 11 years

 

In 2020, suicides in Japan rose for the first time in 11 years. CHARLY TRIBALLEAU/AFP via Getty Image

Japan appointed a "Minister of Loneliness" this month to tackle the country's rising suicide rates.

In 2020, suicide rates in Japan rose for the first time in 11 years, particularly among women.

More people died from suicide in Japan in October than the total number of COVID-19 deaths up to that point in 2020.

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Japan has appointed a "Minister of Loneliness" in an attempt to reduce loneliness and social isolation among its residents as the country deals with rising suicide rates, Tomohiro Osaki reported for the Japan Times.

 

Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga appointed Tetsushi Sakamoto, who is already a minister in charge of dealing with Japan's declining birthrate and promoting regional revitalization, to oversee government policies to deal with loneliness and isolation, earlier this month. Prime Minister Suga chose Sakamoto as his Minister for economic revitalization when he was elected in September 2020.

 

"Women are suffering from isolation more (than men are), and the number of suicides is on a rising trend," Suga told Sakamoto on a February 12 news conference announcing the new role, according to the Japan Times. "I hope you will identify problems and promote policy measures comprehensively."

https://www.insider.com/japan-minister-of-loneliness-suicides-rise-pandemic-2021-2

Edited March 3, 2021 by spartan max2