Suicides among Japan's working women surge amid pandemic

Suicides among working women in Japan have surged during the pandemic, a government report revealed on Tuesday.

The white paper on suicide prevention approved by the government shows the number of suicides among women increased by 935 to 7,026 in 2020, public broadcaster NHK reported.

The rise in suicides marks the first increase in two years, the report said.

“It suggests this could be due to changes in working conditions caused by the spread of coronavirus infections,” the report added.

Among men, who committed suicide, the number fell by 23 to 14,055. “It is the 11th drop in a row.”

A total of 21,081 people ended their life in the island nation last year, an increase of 912 from 2019.

“It is the first year-on-year increase since 2009. The previous increase followed the 2008 global financial crisis,” the report said.

The largest increase in suicides among working women was seen in "employees, who worked in offices, provided health care, or furnished other kinds of services.”

“There was an increase in the number of cases in which changes in working environments, and relations with others at work, were cited as possible reasons or motives for the women's suicides,” it added.

Japan, the world’s third largest economy, has reported over 1.72 million COVID-19 cases, including 18,275 deaths.

The country’s economy, which has remained stagnant for several decades, was battered by the pandemic forcing the government to announce several stimulus packages.