The overall suicide rate in Japan is falling, to just over 20,000 last year, as a national prevention strategy bears fruit among the adult population. But for one sector of society – children and teenagers – it is a worsening problem, with the loss of 527 lives last year. That figure represents an all-time high among young people.
NHK World anchor Morishita Erika spoke with Okaku Terumi, CEO of grief support and suicide prevention organization Live on. Okaku was 19 when she lost her mother to suicide. She visits schools across Japan to discuss the importance of self-care and mental health.
