Japan created the Ministry of Solitude to answer …

Japan appointed a “Minister of Loneliness” to approach mental health care, due to the fact that recently increase, for the first time in 11 years, in suicide rates. The Japanese government is seeking a comprehensive solution to this problem, which has been exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic, which has led to job losses and strong isolation policies in the Asian country.

Thus, Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga appointed Tetsushi Sakamoto as Minister of Solitude, to join his firm and devote himself to monitoring this problem. The new official will also be in charge of fighting the fall in the birth rate and revitalizing regional economies, as indicated. The Japan Times.

Likewise, the Japanese government has also created a task force that seeks to address the problem of loneliness in various ministries, including investigating its impact.

According to preliminary figures published by the National Police Agency, just over 20,000 people committed suicide in 2020 in Japan, 750 more than the previous year, marking the first year-over-year increase in 11 years. This rise is largely attributed to an increase in suicides among women.

“Women suffer more isolation (than men) and the number of suicides is on the rise,” Suga told Sakamoto, during the official presentation of the new minister. “I hope they identify the problems and promote the policies in a holistic way,” added the president.

Loneliness is a recurring mental health problem in Japan known as “hikikomori”, but it increased last year due to social distancing measures put in place by the coronavirus pandemic, and apparently caused an increase in suicides for the first time in more than a decade.

“I hope to carry out activities to prevent social loneliness and isolation and to protect the bonds between people “, Sakamoto spoke.

Additionally, Soledad’s new minister said he plans to hold an emergency forum at the end of February to hear the concerns of those facing loneliness and isolation.