Japan's education ministry says a record of nearly 5,900 public school teachers took sick leave for depression and other mental health issues in the last academic year.

The ministry says 5,897 teachers took leave in the year through March 2022. That's up about 13 percent from a year before.

Of them, 2,937 were working at elementary schools, 1,415 at junior high schools, 742 at senior high schools and 772 at special needs schools.

The teachers who took sick leave accounted for 0.64 percent of the nationwide total.

By age, teachers in their 30s made up the largest portion, numbering 1,617, followed by those in their 50s at 1,522, and those in their 40s at 1,478.

In addition, the education ministry says another 5,047 public school teachers were absent from work for more than one month for mental health issues, although they did not take sick leave. ...continue reading