The broadcaster cited the Japanese Health Ministry as saying that 512 students killed themselves in 2022, up 39 incidents compared to the previous year. Poor academic performance, entry exams, and worries about their future were among the main reasons for child suicides in the past year.
According to the report, among those students who committed suicide last year, 352 were in senior high school (up 38 compared to 2021), 143 were in junior high (down five compared to the past year), and 17 were in elementary school (up six students).
The latest figures prompted the Japanese Education Ministry to urge schools to identify children with worries and difficulties as soon as possible and work with their parents to prevent suicides. The media cited Education and Culture Minister Nagaoka Keiko as saying that children must be aware that adults around them are "certainly" willing to help them, urging them to pay careful attention to children's concerns and identify dangerous signs.