There were 1,849 people who took their own lives in August alone, the highest by month this year, according to the Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry and the National Police Agency.
Despite the number of suicides going down in recent years, the August figure was higher by 246, or 15%, compared to the same month last year, according to the ministry. It was the first time in three years that the number of suicides was higher in August than the previous year.
There were 210 suicides in Tokyo, the highest of any prefecture, and that number increased by 65, or 45%, from the same month last year.
Other urban areas such as Chiba, Aichi and Saitama prefectures also saw an increase in the number of suicides compared to the previous year.
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