In the second half of 2020, the term "corona disaster" became common to describe the disaster caused by the spread of COVID-19. In this period, the number of suicides in Japan was much higher than the previous year, with a particularly large increase in suicides among women and children. The number of suicides in 2021 also continued to increase in comparison to pre-corona disaster period levels. There was a significant increase in the number of female suicides during the corona disaster period. As this trend differs from previous post-disaster and economic recessions, we propose that it may be related to sex bias and underlying inequalities in social structure.
 Traditionally, the lower suicide rate among women compared to men has been attributed to the stress-reducing effects of communication with others. However, in the case of the corona disaster period, women were likely to feel more isolated due to infection prevention measures and the dismissal of non-regular employees. Our findings suggest that in addition to infection control measures, more appropriate economic policies and expanded support for socially vulnerable groups are necessary.
 Author's abstract