The number of people in Japan taken to hospital emergency rooms for self-harm and suicide attempts has been climbing since 2019, with the sharpest increases seen among young people and women, according to a report released Wednesday.

The Japan Suicide Countermeasures Promotion Center (JSCP) published its analysis of ambulance transport data from 2016 to 2023, based on information provided by the Fire and Disaster Management Agency to coincide with World Suicide Prevention Day.

According to the report, a total of 42,977 people were transported to the hospital after harming or attempting to kill themselves in 2023, which is 2,721 more than the previous year. This amounts to an average of about 118 people per day.

The increase has been particularly pronounced among those under 20, with the rate of those in this age bracket being taken to hospital rising nearly 2.5 times from 11.3 per 100,000 people in 2016, to 27.6 per 100,000 in 2023. From 2019 to 2023, 17.3% of those under 20 taken to the emergency room died or suffered severe injuries or complications.

People in their 20s and 30s consistently accounted for the highest rates ¡ª 67.4 per 100,000 in 2023 ¡ª but the sharpest spike was among those under 20.

By gender, women were more likely than men to be taken to the hospital. Among women age 20 to 39, the rate of those taken to the hospital for self-harm and attempted suicide rose to 98.0 per 100,000 in 2023 from 69.7 per 100,000 in 2016. For women and girls under 20, it nearly tripled to 44.0 per 100,000 from 15.7 per 100,000.

Male rates remained lower, at 38.3 per 100,000 for those 20 to 39 years old and 12.0 per 100,000 for those under 20 in 2023, compared with 32.7 and 7.0, respectively, in 2016.

Fatality rates, however, were consistently higher among men. In 2023, suicide death rates for men were 26.0 per 100,000 among those age 20 to 39 and 4.3 per 100,000 for those under 20, compared with 12.8 and 4.0, respectively, for women.

From 2019 and 2023, those in the over 60 bracket had the highest death rate, with 23.7% of all patients taken to hospital dying and 22.6% suffering serious injuries or complications.

¡°By further analyzing the data, we may be able to understand the current situation regarding suicide attempts and other related issues,¡± JSCP stated in the report.

If you or someone you know is in crisis and needs help, resources are available. In case of an emergency, please call 119 in Japan for immediate assistance. The TELL Lifeline is available for those who need free and anonymous counseling at 03-5774-0992. You can also visit telljp.com. For those in other countries, visit www.suicide.org/international-suicide-hotlines.html for a detailed list of resources and assistance.