Japan student suicides hit record high in 2024 despite overall decline

By Barrier Free Japan

October 25 2025

TOKYO – The number of people who took their own lives in Japan fell to 20,320 in 2024, marking the second-lowest level since records began in 1978, but suicides among schoolchildren rose to a record high, government data showed.

According to a Health Ministry tally based on National Police Agency statistics, total suicides decreased by 1,517 from the previous year. The overall decline reflected drops among both men and women, with male suicides falling for the first time in three years to 13,801 and female cases down by 456 to 6,519.

However, the number of elementary, junior high and high school students who died by suicide rose by 16 to 529, the highest since comparable data became available in 1980. The figure included 15 elementary, 163 junior high and 351 high school students, with suicides among junior high students reaching a new record.

The 2025 White Paper on Suicide Prevention, approved by the Cabinet in October, attributed many attempts by young people to overdoses, including those involving over-the-counter drugs. The government plans to revise the pharmaceutical and medical device law to restrict sales of cold and cough medicines to minors as part of its countermeasures.

School-related problems remained the most common cause of suicides among those aged 19 and younger, followed by health and family issues. Despite a gradual national decline in overall suicides since 2019, experts warn that the continuing rise in student deaths highlights persistent social and psychological pressures among young people in the post-pandemic era.