The number of suicides in Japan in 2000 fell 3.3 percent to 31,957 for the first annual drop in six years but stayed above 30,000 for the third straight year, the National Police Agency said Thursday.

The NPA said in a report that while there were less suicides overall in 2000, more people killed themselves because of economic or livelihood concerns, such as debt and unemployment.

Men and women aged 50 and above accounted for about 60 percent of suicides.