Number of teachers on leave for mental illness in Japan hits record high

The number of teachers who took leave due to mental illness at public schools in Japan climbed to a record high of 6,539 in fiscal 2022, a government survey showed, with an increased workload amid the COVID-19 pandemic cited as a possible factor.

The figure for the year to last March was up 642 from the previous year, marking the second straight annual increase. The sum accounted for 0.71% of all teachers at elementary, junior and high schools as well as special needs schools, or 1 in 140 individuals, the education ministry said.

The number of teachers who took leave due to mental illness had fluctuated at around 5,000 in recent years, but it surged by more than 1,300 in two years since fiscal 2020, which saw the start of the spread of the coronavirus.