Photo/Illutration A scene from Tokyo Rainbow Pride, an event attended by sexual minorities and their supporters, in Tokyo’s Shibuya Ward in April (Asahi Shimbun file photo)

Teenage sexual minorities in Japan are at high risk of suicide, loneliness and social isolation even though they have gained some social recognition, according to an online survey.

The survey showed 48 percent of LGBTQ+ teenagers, who identify as being lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer or other, contemplated suicide during the past year and 14 percent attempted to take their own lives, according to the survey.

It was carried out in September by ReBit, a nonprofit organization founded to help young sexual minorities, and received valid responses from 2,600 or so individuals aged between 12 and 34.

Twenty-three percent, or 616, were from teenagers

“Sexual minorities have been covered by government measures to prevent suicides and support those feeling lonely and isolated, but they are still largely uncared for at prefectural and municipal levels,” said Mika Yakushi, who heads ReBit. “We need to extend assistance in an all-inclusive manner.”

When ReBit compared responses from the teens with those provided in a nationwide suicide awareness survey conducted in 2021 by Nippon Foundation, another nonprofit organization, both the percentage of those who contemplated suicide and the percentage of those who attempted suicide during the past year were three to four times higher among sexual minorities.

The new survey also showed that 29 percent of LGBTQ+ teens often or always feel lonely.

By contrast, only 3 percent of those aged 16 through 19 gave the same response to a similar question in a Cabinet Secretariat survey conducted last year.

The ReBit survey found that the respondents first became aware their sexuality might be different from those around them when they were 14.3 years old on average, while they first came out as LGBTQ+ when they were 18.5 years old on average.

The findings indicate that many youngsters find it hard to bring themselves to talk about their sexuality when they are junior and senior high school students.

The results were released to coincide with Spirit Day, an awareness day observed Oct. 20 that started in the United States after a bullying-related suicide of a gay person and other incidents.

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