Japan's mortality rate rose in 2021 for the first time in a decade, possibly due to the coronavirus pandemic.
A group of researchers at the National Cancer Center Japan studied changes in the rate based on demographic data released by the government for 27 years up to 2021.
The researchers found that the rate in 2021 was 989.6 per 100,000 people. That's up 2.2 percent from 968.4 in the previous year.
The death rate among Japanese had been declining in recent years. The 2021 increase was the first since 2011, when the rate went up due to the powerful earthquake and tsunami that hit eastern Japan.
Among the causes of death pushing up the rate in 2021 were COVID-19, old age and heart disease.
The group said the increase is possibly due to the impact of COVID and restrictive medical services during the pandemic.
Researcher Tanaka Hirokazu at the National Cancer Center Japan said the results show the impact of the pandemic on the mortality rate. He added that delays in cancer treatment and holding off on medical checkups could influence future cancer mortality rates.