In 2020, the number of suicides in Japan increased for the first time in 11 years.
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There were 20,919 suicides in 2020, which is 750.
(3.7%).
more than in 2019.
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The psychological burden associated with the increase in the number of people infected with the new coronavirus likely increased, as well as changes in the living environment and worries about the future - for example, about the ability to find or continue to work.
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At the same time, although the number of suicides among men decreased slightly, the increase among women was almost 15%.
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In October alone, the suicide rate among women in Japan jumped more than 70% compared to the same month in the previous year.
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Workers of suicide prevention centers in Japan said that they got a lot of calls from young women who were in great pain, who were lonely, who wanted to die, who had nowhere to go.
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Covid-19 appeared to be pushing vulnerable people into making fateful decisions.
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The pandemic made life much more difficult for those experiencing physical or sexual abuse, or domestic violence.
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What was special about the pandemic is that the hardest-hit industries were those that employed many women: tourism, retail, and the food industry.
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In Japan, more and more unmarried women are living on their own, but they don’t have a permanent job.
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The number of job losses among such non-regular workers increased significantly over 2020.
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Amid the COVID-19 pandemic and the increased suicide rates, Japan even introduced the post of Minister for Combating Loneliness and Isolation, who would also monitor the state of child poverty and coordinate assistance for the elderly.
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The new minister called minimized contacts between people one of the main problems caused by COVID-19.
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He wanted to prevent social isolation and protect connections between people.
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Warning: these questons and answers are not all representative of the way questions will be asked and answered in the pilot, because some questions are compound and some answers do not include citations.

Q: When did the number of suicides in Japan increase for the first time in 11 years?
A: In 2020

Q: How many suicides were there in Japan in 2020?
A: 20,919 

Q: What was the increase in suicides in Japan in 2020 compared to 2019?
A: 750A: 3.7%

Q: What factor contributed to an increased rate of suicides in Japan in 2020?
A: Increase in the number of people infected with coronavirus 

Q: What factor contributed to an increased rate of suicides in Japan in 2020?
A: Changes in the living environment 

Q: What factor contributed to an increased rate of suicides in Japan in 2020?
A: Worries about the futureA: Worries about the ability to find or continue work

Q: Among which gender did the number of suicides increase in Japan?
A: Among women 

Q: How much did the rate of suicides among women increase in Japan?
A: By 15%

Q: How did the suicide rate among women in Japan in October 2020 compare to that of October 2019?
A: It jumped more than 70% 

Q: According to workers of suicide prevention centers in Japan, how did a lot of young women who called them feel?
A: They were in great painA: They were lonelyA: They wanted to dieA: They had nowhere to go

Q: For what category of vulnerable people did the pandemic make life much more difficult?
A: For those experiencing physical abuse

Q: For what category of vulnerable people did the pandemic make life much more difficult?
A: For those experiencing sexual abuse

Q: For what category of vulnerable people did the pandemic make life much more difficult?
A: For those experiencing domestic violence

Q: Why did unemployment during the pandemic hit women especially hard?
A: Because the hardest-hit industries were those that employ many women

Q: Why did Japanese unmarried women suffer more from unemployment during the pandemic?
A: Because they often did not have regular full-time jobs

Q: What new government post did Japan introduce amid the COVID-19 pandemic and the increased suicide rates?
A: The post of the Minister for Combating Loneliness and Isolation 

Q: What would the Minister for Combating Loneliness and Isolation be responsible for?
A: They would monitor the state of child poverty and coordinate assistance for the elderly

Q: What would the Minister for Combating Loneliness and Isolation be responsible for?
A: They would coordinate assistance for the elderly

Q: What did the new Minister for Combating Loneliness and Isolation call one of the main problems caused by COVID-19?
A: Minimized contacts between people

Q: What did the new Minister for Combating Loneliness and Isolation want to do?
A: He wanted to prevent social isolationA: He wanted to protect connections between people