Japan has launched a campaign to encourage children to talk about their problems to adults in a bid to address rising issues of anxiety, bullying, and suicide.
Under the new campaign, volunteers from the Children and Families Agency, one of Japan's administrative bodies, would aim to create environments where children could comfortably consult adults when in distress, agency officials said.
The campaign was launched amid rising cases of bullying, truancy, and suicides cases among elementary, junior, and high school students.
A record of 527 students from elementary and senior high schools killed themselves in 2024, according to health ministry data, even as the overall suicide rate in Japan declined.
Total reported bullying cases at elementary, junior high, high, and special-needs schools in the same year reached 769,022, the highest ever recorded and up about 5per cent from the previous year.
The campaign was launched in the autumn of 2024 with 30 officials to lower the psychological barrier to counselling.
The group created cartoons and videos promoting the message that "consultation is neither shameful nor weak” after direct exchange with children and organisations that support children across Japan, and listening to their views and experiences.
The cartoons and videos have been made publicly available on the Children and Families Agency’s website, so anyone can access them.
"We want them to gain experience in consultation with someone, even if it's a small problem," an agency official said.
In December 2025, the project team carried out an outreach activity at a Japan Professional Football League (J League) match in Chofu, Tokyo, in cooperation with FC Tokyo.
At a booth set up at the venue, children were encouraged to think about the people they go to when faced with problems.
They were made to place balls into boxes labeled with familiar figures such as “family” and “schoolteacher.” They were also asked to consider other adults they might turn to, including school teachers and local community members.
The activity was designed to reduce children’s psychological resistance to seeking help by normalising conversations about personal concerns.
Many elementary school students and families visited the booth. A first-grade boy said he had recently consulted his family and teacher after having a disagreement with a friend. A mother who attended with her daughter remarked, “You always talk to me a lot.”
Building on these efforts, the project team plans to visit junior high and high schools later this month to hold classes focused on listening to students’ concerns.
“I want to tell students that it’s OK to talk about their worries,” a junior staff member said.
If you are experiencing feelings of distress, or are struggling to cope, you can speak to the Samaritans, in confidence, on 116 123 (UK and ROI), email jo@samaritans.org, or visit the Samaritans website to find details of your nearest branch
If you are based in the USA, and you or someone you know needs mental health assistance right now, call or text 988, or visit 988lifeline.org to access online chat from the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. This is a free, confidential crisis hotline that is available to everyone 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
If you are in another country, you can go to www.befrienders.org to find a helpline near you
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