The Japanese government says it takes seriously a UNICEF report that ranked the country number 32 out of 36 wealthy countries in children's mental well-being.
The report was released for the first time in five years. It evaluated child well-being in nations that are members of the OECD and the EU. The ranking was based on three dimensions: physical health, mental health and skills, including academic abilities.
Top government spokesperson Hayashi Yoshimasa said at a news conference on Wednesday morning that he takes seriously the result on mental health.
He said the government will step up efforts under emergency plans it drew up two years ago to strengthen measures against child suicide. He added that these include education, public awareness and early detection.
Hayashi added that the government will also promote the creation of safe and secure places in communities where children and young people can consult with advisers without having to go to different places for each problem.
In the overall UNICEF child well-being ranking of 36 countries, the Netherlands came out on top, followed by Denmark. Japan was 14th. It ranked 20th out of 38 countries in the previous report.