２４年の自殺、小中高生は最多　全体は減少、過去２番目の少なさ―厚労省

　厚生労働省は２９日、警察庁の統計を基にした２０２４年の年間自殺者数（暫定値）が２年連続減少の２万２６８人だったと発表した。１９年の２万１６９人（確定値）に次ぐ少なさだったが、小中高生は、統計がある１９８０年以降で最多の５２７人となった。確定値は３月に公表される。
　男性の自殺者数は前年比１０９９人減の１万３７６３人、女性は４７０人減の６５０５人。人口１０万人当たりの自殺者数（自殺死亡率）は１６．３人だった。
　年代別では、５０代が最多の３７８６人（前年比４０８人減）で、４０代の３２０５人（同４２０人減）が続いた。学生・生徒らは１０７２人（同５３人増）で、うち小中高生は３年連続で５００人超。中学生は１６３人で、過去最多を更新した。
　動機別では、健康問題が１万１９８６人（同４１７人減）で最多。経済・生活問題と家庭問題は、それぞれ５０７５人（同１０６人減）、４３３４人（同３７４人減）だった。ＳＮＳ・インターネット上のトラブルは過去最多の４２人だった。（2025/01/29-10:15）

The number of people who committed suicide in Japan fell to 20,268 in 2024, marking the second consecutive year of decline and the second-lowest level after 20,169 in 2019, the health ministry said Wednesday.
   Elementary, junior high and high school students accounted for 527, the highest level since records began in 1980, with the number staying above 500 for three straight years. Of them, a record 163 junior high school students killed themselves.
   The overall number of suicides among men fell by 1,099 from the preceding year to 13,763, while 6,505 women killed themselves, a decrease of 470. The suicide rate, or the number of suicides per 100,000 people, stood at 16.3.
   Of the total, the number of people in their 50s was the highest by age group, at 3,786, though down by 408. Those in their 40s followed, with the number falling by 420 to 3,205. Suicides among students increased by 53 to 1,072.
   The top cause of suicides was health problems, with 11,986 people taking their lives for such reasons, down by 417. Suicides caused by economic and livelihood problems decreased by 106 to 5,075 and those from family problems dropped by 374 to 4,334. Those from internet and social media troubles hit a record 42.