Abstract
This paper uses 2018–2020 prefecture–month–year, gender–month–year, and age group–month–year level data on suicide rates in Japan to document how suicide rates are evolving during the COVID-19 pandemic. I use a monthly event study design to study changes in suicide rates surrounding Japan’s COVID-19 state of emergency and to trace out monthly changes in suicide rates during the first 11 months of 2020 relative to 2018–2019. I find that monthly suicide rates during the pandemic started increasing meaningfully in June–July 2020. I find that women experienced greater increases in suicide rates than men, relative to their 2018–2019 average suicide rate, and that women experienced the largest increase in suicide rates in October 2020. I also find descriptive evidence that in terms of suicide, individuals under 30 years old were faring worse during the pandemic.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
