Japan appoints minister of loneliness

Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga appointed regional revitalization minister Tetsushi Sakamoto on Friday as a part-time minister of loneliness to address the issue of loneliness and isolation, which is becoming increasingly serious during the pandemic.
The move comes days after a report showed an increase in suicides during 2020 following a decade of declines, with the number of women and young people committing suicide surging.
According to the new data, the female suicide rate increased by 14.5 percent, with the total number reaching 6,976, the highest in five years, while male suicides dropped 1 percent to 13,943 for the 11th straight year.