Photo/Illutration The National Cancer Center Hospital in Tokyo's Chuo Ward (Asahi Shimbun file photo)

The overall mortality rate for Japanese citizens increased 2.2 percent in 2021 from the previous year due to the spread of COVID-19, according to a research group from the National Cancer Center.

This is the first time mortality rates have increased in Japan since 2011, the year of the Great East Japan Earthquake, when they rose by 1.4 percent.

The research group examined trends in mortality rates by major cause of death from 1995 to 2021, based on mortality data and statistics released by the health ministry.

Overall, Japan’s mortality rate has been on a long-term downward trend due to improved lifestyles and advances in medical science.

However, in 2021, 1.49 million people were infected with the novel coronavirus, a significant increase from the 230,000 the previous year.

By cause, coronavirus-related deaths were up 380 percent from the previous year, deaths due to senility rose 9.3 percent and deaths from cardiac disease increased 1.4 percent.

By gender, mortality rates increased 2.1 percent for men and 2.2 percent for women.

The COVID-19 pandemic is believed to have contributed to senility among the elderly. Restrictions on medical care also helped increase the mortality rate.

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