Over half of LGBTQ teens in Japan considered suicide: survey

"There are not enough people or places that LGBTQ people can turn to without worry," said Mika Yakushi, 35, representative of the Tokyo NPO, ReBit.

LGBTQ is the abbreviation for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer or questioning.

The survey was conducted online on 4,925 LGBTQ people aged 12-34 in February and March. Effective responses were collected from 4,733 people.

By age group, 53.9 pct of LGBTQ teens had suicidal thoughts over the past year, higher than the proportions of such people among those in their 20s and early 30s, which stood at 40.5 pct and 30.3 pct, respectively.

Furthermore, 19.6 pct of LGBTQ teens said they tried to take their own lives.

In the survey, 40.8 pct of LGBTQ teens said there is no one or nowhere they can turn to for advice about their sexuality without anxiety.

"At junior high school, my friends said they could not tolerate gay people," one LGBTQ person wrote in the survey's free description section.

"I have never been able to reveal my true self, not even to my parents," the person said.

Of students who took classes on LGBTQ issues at school, around 30 pct said there were discriminatory, negative and misguided comments by teaching staff, and some 40 pct said the content was insufficient.

"While educational opportunities are increasing, teachers' understanding and the content of their lessons are still inadequate," Yakushi said.

"There is an urgent need to improve the understanding of teachers on LGBTQ issues."

The NPO released the survey results in time with this month's LGBTQ Pride Month, when LGBTQ awareness-raising events are held across the world.