The number of people who killed themselves in Japan in 2023 has decreased from the previous year by 63 to 21,818, marking its first decline in two years, government data showed, according to Xinhua.

According to health ministry data based on National Police Agency statistics, the suicide rate, or the number of suicides per population of 100,000, came to 17.5.

Of the total, male suicides made up 14,854, up by 108, while 6,964 were females, down by 171, data showed Friday.

Regarding age demographics, people in their 50s accounted for the largest group of suicides at 4,186, up by 93, followed by people in their 40s at 3,624.

The total also includes 13 elementary school children, 152 junior high school students and 342 high school students. The combined number for the three groups was down by seven.

As for reasons, 12,336 cases were due to health problems, down by 438, while the number of suicides related to economic or livelihood problems came to 5,157, up by 460.

The health ministry said that although the figures are preliminary, they showed increases particularly among middle-aged and older men and young women and girls.