The coronavirus pandemic led to 8,000 more suicides in Japan between March 2020 and June 2022 than would have been expected without it, a recent study has calculated.

Women in their 20s saw the largest rise, but women age 19 or younger also saw a significant increase, according to the study conducted by a team of researchers including Taisuke Nakata, an associate professor at the University of Tokyo.

Largely voluntary COVID-19 restrictions were adopted in Tokyo and other areas until March this year, with people asked to refrain from traveling across prefectural borders and restaurants and bars urged to close early.