May 11, 2020 (Japan Times) - Concerns about a spike in suicides are mounting as more people are thrown into economic hardship and uncertainty by the coronavirus pandemic while support groups cut back on their efforts as infections grow.
The government is calling on people to actively use telephones and social media for help instead of face-to-face consultations, but many aid groups involved in suicide prevention are struggling to secure personnel and facilities.
The Federation of Inochi No Denwa, which comprises 52 suicide hotline groups, has been active for about 50 years, but about a quarter of its membership has suspended activities amid the epidemic.
Other organizations have either suspended operations or scaled back operating hours.
The working environment for these groups tends to become closed and crowded, leading to close contact — and a higher risk of group infection. It is also difficult to find manpower because of requests to limit commuting.
The Tokyo suicide prevention center, which gets about 10,000 phone consultations annually, suspended services on Wednesday.
