Japan appoints 'minister of loneliness' to help people home alone

Rise in suicides pushes Suga to tackle issue as major COVID challenge

The pandemic has been particularly isolating for Japan's older population, who are not used to communicating online.

SHOGO KODAMA, Nikkei staff writer

February 13, 2021 06:59 JST

TOKYO -- Telework and the lack of social gatherings during Japan's fight against the coronavirus have left people feeling increasingly stressed and lonely. Pandemic-linked isolation has been blamed for the first uptick in Japanese suicides in 11 years.