昨年の自殺者２万３２０人　過去２番目に少なく―厚労省確定値

　厚生労働省は２８日、警察庁の統計を基にした２０２４年の年間自殺者数（確定値）が２万３２０人だったと発表した。１月の暫定値より５２人増えたが、前年より１５１７人減少。統計を開始した１９７８年以降では、１９年（２万１６９人）に次ぐ少なさだった。
　一方、小中高生は前年比１６人増の５２９人、うち女性は同３６人増の２９０人で、いずれも統計が残る８０年以降で最多となった。
　内訳は、男性が３年ぶりに前年を下回る１万３８０１人（１０６１人減）、女性は２年連続で減って６５１９人（４５６人減）だった。人口１０万人当たりの自殺者数（自殺死亡率）は１６．４人と前年より１．２人下がった。
　年代別では５０代（３７９９人）と４０代（３２１４人）が３０００人を超えた。
　動機（複数計上）は、健康問題（１万２０２９人）が最も多く、経済・生活問題（５０９２人）、家庭問題（４２９７人）、勤務問題（２５６４人）と続いた。（2025/03/28-10:04）

The number of suicides in Japan decreased by 1,517 from the previous year to 20,320 in 2024, the second-lowest level on record, the health ministry said Friday.
   The tally by the ministry, however, was revised up by 52 from the preliminary data released in January. The ministry's data are based on statistics taken by the National Police Agency.
   In the statistics, which began in 1978, the record low is 20,169 marked in 2019.
   Despite the overall drop, suicides among elementary to high school students increased by 16 to 529, including 290 suicides by girls, up by 36. Both climbed to their highest levels on existing record since 1980.
   The number of suicides among men fell for the first time in three years, posting a drop of 1,061 to 13,801. Those among women decreased by 456 to 6,519, the second straight annual fall.