More Japanese Died By Suicide In October Than From COVID-19 This Year So Far

COVID-19 and subsequent job losses have triggered Japan's infamous suicide pandemic to new levels. More people died by suicide in October than all the coronavirus victims in the year so far.

The pandemic has added to the misery of the financially weak classes in third-largest economy, already bogged down by long working hours and cultural stigma around mental health. As many as 2,153 people committed suicide in October, whereas the pandemic-related death toll stood at 2,087 as of Nov. 26, according to data revealed by the Japanese Health Ministry.

The unprecedented rise of the suicide rate has disproportionately affected women who work part-time in relatively small establishments like hotels, food services, and retail industries, where a greater number of layoffs occurred amid the pandemic. Suicide rates among women grew 83% from October 2019, while the spike was 22% among men.

The unprecedented rise in suicide rates is a reversal from a decade-long trend. The country with one of the highest suicide rates in the world saw a steep decline in cases in 10 years leading up to 2019.

Eriko Kobayashi, a suicide survivor, revealed her ordeal to CNN. Kobayashi, who worked at a publishing house in Tokyo, said she faced difficulties to make ends meet with the meager salary her employer had paid her and attempted suicide at least four times.

"My salary was cut, and I cannot see the light at the end of the tunnel," said Kobayashi. She added that despite having a steady job at an NGO now she constantly feels "a sense of crisis that I might fall back into poverty."

A global study of 10,000 people conducted by CARE, a non-profit organization, revealed that working women with a family had pressure piling up on them amid the pandemic, sending their mental health into jeopardy. The women said the responsibility of taking care of the children and doing the household chores majorly lay on them despite having partners. According to the data released by the organization, 27% of women reported facing increased challenges with mental health during the pandemic, whereas only 10% of men opened up about facing mental anxiety.

A host of Japanese celebrities also ended their lives due to anxiety in the wake of the pandemic. The most recent celebrity death was of Hana Kimura, a professional wrestler, and star of the reality show "Terrace House," who died at the age of 22 by suicide after facing a barrage of hate comments on social media.