Japan’s education ministry says 7,087 public school teachers took sick leave for depression and other mental health issues in the last academic year through March 2025.
The number was down 32 from the previous year’s record high, but exceeded 7,000 for the second year in a row.
Of teachers who took mental sick leave, 3,458 were working at elementary schools, 1,639 at junior high schools and 1,006 at senior high schools. As of April 2025, 1,458 of them, or 20 percent, had quit their teaching job.
Surveys of local education boards revealed the factors behind teachers taking sick leave for mental health reasons. Of them, 26.5 percent cited issues related to instructing students, 23.2 percent workplace relationships and 6.1 percent excessive demands from parents or other caretakers.
An education ministry official said the results has given him a grave sense of crisis. He said that a notable number of teachers are feeling harassed by parents and people in the community, and that taking urgent measures is needed.