Investigations & Research

Innovative Research Program on Suicide Countermeasures in FY2021: Report on Commissioned Research Results

November 21, 2023

November 18, 2022

Here are the Innovative Research Program on Suicide Countermeasures results for FY2021. Research covered 8 topics across 3 fields:

  1. Establishing evidence around suicide countermeasures (3 topics)
  2. Improving support tools for local governments (3 topics)
  3. Developing new policy areas (2 topics)

 
The results of these 8 research topics are based upon the Evidence-Based Policy Making (EBPM) which this program places particular emphasis upon, and boasts results built upon a foundation of objective data and facts, as well as including initiatives such as specific recommendations. 
The effect of the COVID-19 pandemic has spread from society and the economy to people’s individual lives, to even our own individual hearts with the overall downward trend in suicide numbers of recent years reversing, with numbers increasing since 2019.
This increase strongly calls to move, step by step, towards building a society that is easy for everyone to live in, notably with direct support for women, children, and young people, as well indirect support through collaborations between the state, local municipalities, medical institutions, NPOs and people.
In October, the General Principles of Suicide Prevention Policy was revised to serve as a guideline for the government, adding for the first time the strengthening of support for women as a priority measure. Suicide prevention is moving into a new phase.
This report hopes to be the impetus for a revolution in suicide countermeasures.


Innovative Research Program on Suicide Countermeasures
Ministry of Health, Labour, and Welfare Designated Association/General Incorporated Association
Japan Suicide Countermeasures Promotion Center
Takashi Nishio (Manager, Department of Research and Analytics)

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Innovative Research Program on Suicide Countermeasures in FY2021: Report on Commissioned Research Results

Field 1: Establishing evidence around suicide countermeasures

Topic number / Research topic Principal Researcher / Institution Results
1-1

Development of a Social Capital Fostering Program for Multi-Generational Comprehensive Community Care

Yoshinori Fujiwara Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology

Summary

Report (in Japanese)

1-2

Study on the Current Situation of Suicide in Japan Based on DPC Data

Shinya Matsuda

Department of Preventive Medicine and Community Health, School of Medicine, University of Occupational and Environmental Health

Summary

Report (in Japanese)

1-3 Establishment of Self-harm and Suicide Attempt Registry in Emergency Medical Centers to Prevent the Recurrence of Self-harm and Suicide Attempt Yasufumi Miyake

Department of Trauma and Acute Medicine, Teikyo University School of Medicine

Summary

Report (in Japanese)

Appendix PDF (in Japanese)


Field 2: Improving support tools for local governments

Topic number / Research topic Principal Researcher / Institution Results
2-1

Research on Promotion of Utilization of Statistical Data in Public Administration

Hiroe Tsubaki IInter-University Research Institute Corporation Research Organization of Information and Systems (ROIS), the Institute of Statistical Mathematics (ISM)

Summary

Report (in Japanese)

2-2 Research on Countermeasures to Prevent Suicide Among Pregnant Women, Children, and Young Adults Takeo Fujiwara Department of Global Health Promotion, Tokyo Medical and Dental University

Summary

Report (in Japanese)
2-3

Development of New Method for Elucidating Suicide in Metropolitan Areas during New Coronavirus Epidemic

Masashi Kizuki Department of Tokyo Metropolitan Health Policy Advisement, Tokyo Medical and Dental University

Summary

Report (in Japanese)


Field 3: Developing new policy areas

Topic number / Research topic Principal Researcher / Institution Results
3-1

Research on Suicide Countermeasures Using Social Media

Akihito Shimazu

Faculty of Policy Management, Keio University

Summary

Report (in Japanese)
3-2 Study on Enhancement and Improvement of Psychological Care/Support for People with Traumatic Experience of Disaster and/or Child Abuse Yoshiharu Kim National Institute of Mental Health, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry

Summary

Report (in Japanese)