Osaka, the US-raised daughter of a Japanese mother and a Haitian father, is the face of Tokyo 2020. She is the most high-profile, but far from only, Japanese personality to raise the issue of mental health in the public eye. In the general Japanese population, the number of people reporting mental health problems has doubled from 1999 to 2014. "Traditionally in our nation, looking back as a kid, 40 years ago, it was shameful if you or a relation had a mental health problem," said Wada. People are becoming more open to admitting people have mental health problems and they are something we have to deal with."

Source: BBC July 16, 2021 08:55 UTC