ANI
23 Feb 2021, 22:55 GMT+10
Tokyo [Japan], February 23 (ANI): Japan has appointed its first Minister for Loneliness this month after the country's suicide rate increased for the first time in 11 years during the Covid-19 pandemic.
According to The Japan Times, Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga added a minister of loneliness to his Cabinet earlier this month, following the example of the UK, which in 2018 became the first country to create a similar role.
Suga tapped minister Tetsushi Sakamoto, who is simultaneously in charge of combating the nation's falling birth rate and revitalizing regional economies, for the new portfolio.
In his inaugural press conference, Sakamoto said Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga appointed him to address national matters "including the issue of the increasing women's suicide rate under the pandemic," according to CNN.
"Suga instructed me to examine the issue and put forward a comprehensive strategy, by coordinating with the related ministry... I hope to carry out activities to prevent social loneliness and isolation and to protect ties between people," Sakamoto added.
CNN reported that the Japanese government also created an "isolation/loneliness countermeasures office" within the cabinet on February 19 for issues such as suicide and child poverty -- which have risen during the pandemic.
The country has recorded more than 426,000 Covid-19 cases and 7,577 deaths, according to data from John Hopkins University. (ANI)
Get a daily dose of Japan Herald news through our daily email, its complimentary and keeps you fully up to date with world and business news as well.
Publish news of your business, community or sports group, personnel appointments, major event and more by submitting a news release to Japan Herald.
More InformationBEIJING, China: Actions taken last week by the Chinese People's Political Consultative Committee (CPPCC) and the National People's Congress (NPC) ...
GLOBE, Arizona -- Native Americans, conservationists, and a host of other advocates are cheering a Biden administration move to delay ...
WASHINGTON D.C.: Officials report that 100,000 people seeking to enter the United States were detained at the Mexican border in ...
NEW YORK, New York: Second-quarter profits for Costco Wholesale Corp have failed to align with analysts' estimates, as the warehouse ...
LONDON, England: In a bid to reduce Covid infections among overweight Britons, Prime Minister Boris Johnson is promoting his own ...
VANCOUVER, Canada: Lawyers for Huawei chief financial officer Meng Wanzhou have sought a dismissal of the extradition case against her, ...
GLOBE, Arizona -- Native Americans, conservationists, and a host of other advocates are cheering a Biden administration move to delay ...
NEW YORK, New York - U.S. stock markets were decisively mixed on Monday with the technology sector taking the brunt ...
LOS ANGELES, California: After remaining closed for nearly a year, California officials released new rules on Friday that would allow ...
NEW YORK, New York: Second-quarter profits for Costco Wholesale Corp have failed to align with analysts' estimates, as the warehouse ...
PORTLAND, Oregon -- This week, groups are holding virtual events in Oregon for "Sequestration Week," and the potential of carbon ...
SYDNEY, NSW, Australia - Stocks in Asia mostly fell on Monday, although the Australian market managed a modest gain.The passage ...