"South Korea and Japan Cooperate to Share Information and Analyze Causes of Rising Female Suicide Rates"

[Asia Economy Reporter Jeong Hyunjin] It has been reported that the number of women who have recently taken their own lives has surged in both South Korea and Japan, prompting related agencies in both countries to share information and analyze the causes.

On the 21st, Sankei Shimbun reported that the number of women who took their own lives in Japan increased sharply last month, and a similar trend appeared earlier in South Korea, leading authorities on both sides engaged in suicide prevention projects to share information for analysis.

In Japan, the total number of suicides from January to June decreased compared to the same period last year, but increased in July and August. In particular, last month, the number reached 1,849 nationwide, a 15.3% increase. For women, the figure last month was 650, a 40.1% increase compared to the same period last year (preliminary figures), significantly higher than the overall suicide increase rate for the same month.

Sankei reported that in South Korea, the number of women who took their own lives increased by 7.1% from January to June this year, showing a serious trend with increases of 17.3%, 17.9%, and 13.6% in March, April, and June respectively compared to the same months last year.

The "Suicide Prevention Promotion Center," a corporation designated by the Japanese Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare to promote suicide prevention measures, contacted Baek Jong-woo, head of the Korea Central Suicide Prevention Center, in mid-last month to exchange opinions on the background of the increase in women taking their own lives in both countries, Sankei reported.

The newspaper added that since the increase in suicides in both countries coincided with the period when COVID-19 cases increased, it is possible that COVID-19 had an impact.