Suicide among children tends to occur after long vacation: survey

According to the Cabinet Office's survey when examining a total of 18,048 suicides by children aged 18 and under from 1972 to 2013, the number of youngsters who killed themselves on Sept. 1 was substantially large at 131. Many Japanese schools reopen on that day after summer vacation. The date for the second highest number of suicides occurred on April 11 with 99. April 8, Sept. 2 and Aug. 31 followed with 95, 94 and 92 child suicides, respectively. All of the dates are concentrated around the end of Japanese spring and summer holidays. There were relatively fewer suicides committed by children from late July to mid-August which falls in the middle of summer vacation, according to the study based on information collected through the welfare ministry's population survey. "During vacations when it is hard for teachers to observe children, families should pay careful attention to their behavior and look out for changes in their appearance or health," an official of the education ministry said. Government surveys revealed that a major reason for suicides among elementary and junior high school students is trouble at home, among children who might be scolded or who have friction with their parents. Among high school students, academic failure, concerns about career choices, mental illness and depression emerge as the major contributing factors, the surveys said. An official of the Cabinet Office said children who commit suicide between the ages of 10 to 15 tend to show no previous warning signs compared with those in other age groups. "It is important for adults to create an environment where children are able to air their concerns with the people around," said the official. The Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology issued a paper on Aug. 4 to prefectural education boards and schools, urging them to be vigilant and strengthen efforts to prevent child suicides following the current summer vacation. Source: Kyodo