TOKYO—In the fiscal year 2022, Japan recorded a total of 72 child abuse deaths, marking a slight increase from the previous year, according to new government data.

According to Namibia Press Agency, the report released by the Children and Families Agency indicated that more than 40 percent of these tragic fatalities involved infants under one year old. The period from April 2022 to March 2023 saw an increase of two cases compared to the prior fiscal year. Of the total deaths, 16 were part of murder-suicide incidents, with children under three years old constituting nearly 70 percent of the fatalities in the 56 cases of abuse that did not involve murder-suicides.

The report further broke down the abuse-related deaths, excluding those from murder-suicides, revealing that neglect or child-rearing abandonment was the leading cause, accounting for 42.9 percent of the cases. Physical abuse followed at 30.4 percent. Analysis of the perpetrators showed that biological mothers were the main abusers in 23 cases, while biological fathers were implicated in six. In seven instances, both parents were held accountable.

The Children and Families Agency’s expert committee has recommended the creation of a seamless support system that extends from pregnancy through to postnatal care. It emphasized the need for increased public awareness of the nationwide child consultation hotline, which provides direct access to the nearest child consultation center.