Category: Children

by Michael Gillan Peckitt May 16, 2025 Number of comments0
Children Japan Mental Health Podcast

Japanese kids’ mental health ranks poorly among rich nations [Podcast Episode]

Children in Japan continue to suffer poor mental health, with the country ranking 32nd among 43 developed and emerging nations due to high suicide rates and other factors, a UNICEF report released Wednesday showed. The country improved from 37th in 2020 when the ranking was last published, although this time the suicide rate among Japanese youth was the fourth highest among wealthy states surveyed, worsening from 12th.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt May 15, 2025 1
Children Disability Japan Mental Health

Japanese kids’ mental health ranks poorly among rich nations: UNICEF

Children in Japan continue to suffer poor mental health, with the country ranking 32nd among 43 developed and emerging nations due to high suicide rates and other factors, a UNICEF report released Wednesday showed. The country improved from 37th in 2020 when the ranking was last published, although this time the suicide rate among Japanese youth was the fourth highest among wealthy states surveyed, worsening from 12th.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt May 14, 2025 Number of comments0
Children Crime Japan

Arrested Student Cites Reformatory as Aim of Chiba Murder

A 15-year-old male student arrested for the alleged murder of a woman in Chiba, near Tokyo, said that he wanted to go to juvenile reformatory to escape his complex home environment, according to investigative sources. This year, a parent of the junior high school third-year student consulted police about him running away from home for a short time, police and other sources said. Subsequently, meetings were held between the student and a consultant. A meeting session had been set also for Monday, when the student was arrested.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt May 13, 2025 Number of comments0
Children Education Japan

Bullying victim quit prestigious Japan national elementary school

A pupil at a prestigious national elementary school in Tokyo quit the school this year after being the victim of bullying, a source close to the matter said Monday. It was the second straight year that the Elementary School attached to University of Tsukuba has reported a “serious” incident to the education ministry. The law to promote preventive measures for bullying stipulates incidents as “serious” if they are deemed to have caused severe physical and mental damage to students or students are forced to be absent from school for a considerable period of time.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt May 6, 2025 Number of comments0
Birth Rate Children Holidays Japan Podcast

Golden Week ‘Shogai Podcast Shorts’ 4: Greenery Day Observed [Podcast Episode]

The estimated number of children under 15 in Japan as of April 1 fell by 350,000 from a year before to 13.66 million, down for the 44th consecutive year, the internal affairs ministry said Sunday. The country’s child population hit the lowest level since comparable data became available in 1950. The ministry released the data a day before Children’s Day.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt May 5, 2025 Number of comments0
Abuse Children Japan Podcast Welfare

Golden Week ‘Shogai Podcast Shorts’ 3: Children’s Day [Podcast Episode]

The legislation for revisions to child welfare and other laws in Japan is designed to make it easier to restrict meetings of parents with their children under the protection of child consultation centers. Following the revisions, it will be possible to place such restrictions on parents and other guardians in cases in which abuse is suspected but not yet officially recognized. This will help prevent centers from falling into trouble with parents.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt April 29, 2025 Number of comments0
Barrier Free Children developmental disabilities Japan Medical

Japan Government Strengthens Support for Local Government to Conduct Medical Checkups of 5-Year-Olds for Early Detection of Developmental Disabilities

The government has begun to strengthen its support for local governments to promote health checkups for infants and toddlers at the age of 5 years old, as it is effective in early detection of developmental disabilities. The program aims to provide appropriate support for children with developmental disorders before they start school, as it is easy to recognize the characteristics of developmental disorders. While local governments are obligated to conduct health checks for 18-month-olds and 3-year-olds, and “school entry health checks” conducted about six months before entering elementary school, 5-year-old health checks are optional, and only 14% of local governments conducted them in fiscal 2011. The Child and Family Agency aims to implement 100% nationwide by fiscal 2028.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt April 19, 2025 Number of comments0
Abuse Children Disability Japan Welfare

Japan Enacts Bill to Better Protect Kids from Abuse

The legislation for revisions to child welfare and other laws is designed to make it easier to restrict meetings of parents with their children under the protection of child consultation centers.
Following the revisions, it will be possible to place such restrictions on parents and other guardians in cases in which abuse is suspected but not yet officially recognized. This will help prevent centers from falling into trouble with parents.