TOKYO, July 25 (Xinhua) -- The Japanese government approved on Tuesday a five-year plan aiming to cut the number of suicides by at least 30 percent over the next decade.
According to the guidelines for preventing suicide approved on Tuesday, the government plans to cut the number of suicides per 100,000 people from 18.5 in 2015 to no more than 13.0 in 2026.
Key policies listed in the guidelines include providing more help for those living in poverty, and addressing issues such as excessive working hours, postpartum depression(PPD) and prejudice against sexual minorities.
The government will also take measures to address the high rate of young people committing suicide, as suicide is still the leading cause of death for people in their 20s and 30s in Japan.
The number of people committing suicide in Japan stood at 21,897 in 2016, falling for the seventh straight year, but still the worst in the Group of Seven nations, according to the guidelines.
The new goal, if achieved, would bring the number of suicides in Japan down to no more than 16,000 in 2026.
