10 settembre 2026 | 09.01
LETTURA: 1 minuti
Tokyo, Sept. 10 (Jiji Press)--The number of children who died from abuse in Japan in fiscal 2024 rose by 12 from the previous year to 77, an expert panel of the Children and Families Agency said Thursday. Excluding family suicide cases, the figure stood at 50, including 34 who died before reaching 1 year old. The number of children who died within 24 hours after birth came to 17. Among cases other than family suicides, 22 children, the largest group, were abused mainly by their biological mothers. Seventeen and 13 children died from physical abuse and neglect, respectively. The panel analyzed cases of unexpected pregnancies between January 2007 and March 2024, which are believed to be one reason behind abuse-related deaths of children under 1 year old. It pointed out that in many such cases mothers tended to be isolated from the beginning of pregnancy and had limited access to necessary aid, calling for publicizing dedicated consultation services and securing places for such women in collaboration with private support groups. The Children and Families Agency plans to provide consultation services for expectant mothers around the clock and disseminate information about a website that helps users find such services by region. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]
