Suicides among young people in Japan stayed at alarmingly high levels and distinct patterns were observed based on age and gender, according to the latest government white paper on suicide measures released Tuesday.

The health ministry’s report shows that the number of elementary, junior high and high school students who took their own lives in 2023 stood at 513, one fewer than last year's record of 514.

Government countermeasures would include urgent steps “to create a society where children do not take their own lives,” with the Children and Families Agency undertaking efforts to spread awareness about the reality of child suicide, the report said.