The number of schoolchildren who took their own lives last year marked a record high of 529, prompting the government to take measures to prevent suicides by minors.



Japan's health and welfare ministry released the finalized number of suicides by elementary, junior high and high school students in 2024. The figure exceeded the previous record of 514 reported in 2022.



The statistics show reasons or motives for the suicides, allowing multiple factors per case. School-related problems, such as poor grades and inability to decide a future course, were cited in the largest number of cases at 272. Health problems such as depression were cited in 164 cases, and family issues such as bad relations with parents in 108.



Officials of the Children and Families Agency, which promotes measures to prevent suicides by children, say they will analyze factors behind the incidents. They say they will consider young people's opinions to create a system that enables minors to talk about their problems more easily. The officials say they will also step up other measures, such as increasing opportunities for people to learn how to provide appropriate support for troubled children.



Despite the increase among children, the total number of suicides in Japan fell to 20,320 last year, down 1,517 from the previous year and the second-lowest since recordkeeping began in 1978.