Paragraph 1
Japan has a "minister of loneliness" for the
time. Japan's Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga created the
in early February. Mr Suga wanted to do
about the rise in suicide
. More people are taking their
lives in the pandemic. Japan's police agency said 20,919 people died by
in 2020. This is 750 more than the year before. It is also the first two-year
in suicides in 11 years. The minister told reporters: "I hope to promote
that prevent loneliness and social
and to improve the
between people."