Japan Starts ‘Ministry of Loneliness’

**Trigger warning: Suicide

Last year’s pandemic has left the population of Japan feeling depressed and alone.

The country saw a huge rise in suicide rates in 2020 for the first time in 11 years. Reports showed more than 20,000 suicides in the last year. This is more than the country’s ever seen.

Suicide caused more deaths in Japan, than COVID did in October 2020.

The Japanese prime minister has appointed a minister of loneliness. Tetsushi Sakamoto was chosen for the job.

Sakamoto not only deals with the country’s falling birthrates, but also with the mental health of the population.

His research showed than women are suffering more than men due to the pandemic.

The government is trying to diminish social isolation and reform a sense of community in Japan; where most of the population is elderly.

Here’s hoping the country finds a solution to the mass mental health issues.