TOKYO, May 25 (Xinhuanet) -- Statistics released by Japan's labor ministry Tuesday show that the number of people who became eligible for workers' compensation due to brain and heart illnesses induced by excessive work totaled 312 in fiscal 2003 ended on March 31, of whom 157 died from overwork.

    The total was down slightly from 317 the previous year, according to the statistics from the Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry.

    Of the total, people deemed eligible for such compensation due to suicide or mental illness came to a record 108, the figures show.

    Of the 312 people, 297 were male and 15 female, with people in their 50s and those working in the transport and communications fields comprising the bulk of the cases.

    Among those deemed eligible for compensation due to suicide or mental illness, 77 were male and 31 female. Those in their 30s andthose with special expertise, such as in systems engineering, constituted the most cases.

    According to the ministry, the number of those with brain and heart illnesses who applied for workers' compensation in the year was down by 114 from fiscal 2002 to 705.

    The figures show that those who applied for workers' compensation after suffering mental disorders, such as depression,and as a result of committed suicide or attempted to do so, rose by 97 from fiscal 2002 and posted a record-high at 438. Enditem