Crime in Japan - statistics & facts
For almost two decades, starting in the early 2000s, the number of penal code offenses reported to the Japanese police steadily declined. Nonetheless, the number of recognized criminal offenses has begun to rise again recently, increasing to approximately 737,680 in 2024. The crime rate has also shown an upward trajectory, reaching 565.6 cases per 100,000 inhabitants in 2023. The most frequently occurring crime has continued to be theft, making up the majority of recorded cases. Additionally, violations of Special Acts involving, for example, cybercrime, child abuse, and special fraud such as phone fraud, have increased lately. The National Policy Agency (NPA) also raised concerns about the growing number of “tokuryū (anonymous and fluid)” criminal groups and their illegal acts, encompassing special fraud, theft, and robbery. Tokuryū groups are typically formed online among unacquainted individuals and disband after a short period, which makes it difficult for the police to identify members.
The National Public Safety Commission and the National Police Agency (NPA) are the central bodies of the Japanese police organization and reside in Tokyo Prefecture. They administer national safety, the national police system, and cooperation among Prefectural Police (PP). Each prefectural government, including the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, authorizes the Prefectural Public Safety Commission and PP. The Prefectural Commission and PP are responsible for the safety in the respective region.
The emergence of tokuryū groups is alarming Japanese society. Members of these groups are usually connected anonymously through online websites, and their roles are subdivided, making it easier for ordinary citizens to partake in illegal activities. They differ from traditional yakuza syndicates with a clear hierarchical structure and stable members. However, some tokuryū groups are believed to have connections and money flow with yakuza groups. With a growing number of minors being cleared at crime scenes of the tokuryū syndicate, the NPA is rushing to develop countermeasures.
Justice system in Japan
Criminal offenses committed by Japanese citizens aged 20 years and older are judged and penalized according to the Penal Code enacted in 1907. Other acts regulate punishments for specified crimes, such as the Act on the Punishment of Inflicting Death or Injury on Others by Driving a Motor Vehicle, the Stimulants Control Act, and the Act against Child Prostitution and Pornography. After the police apprehend a suspect, prosecutors decide on the indictment of suspects. The Courts of Justice adjudge the conviction and severity of the punishment, ranging from minor fines, detention at a penal institution for up to 29 days, fines for more than 10,000 Japanese yen, imprisonment (with or without penal labor), to the death penalty.The National Public Safety Commission and the National Police Agency (NPA) are the central bodies of the Japanese police organization and reside in Tokyo Prefecture. They administer national safety, the national police system, and cooperation among Prefectural Police (PP). Each prefectural government, including the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, authorizes the Prefectural Public Safety Commission and PP. The Prefectural Commission and PP are responsible for the safety in the respective region.
“Yakuza” and “tokuryū”: organized crime in Japan
Currently, 25 organizations are considered crime syndicates (widely known as “yakuza”) in Japan, according to the Act on Prevention of Unjust Acts by Organized Crime Group Members. The estimated number of members and associates of crime groups drastically decreased from approximately 91,000 recorded in 1991 to 20,400 in 2023. The members and associates of the six main criminal organizations, including the largest group, Yamaguchi-gumi, comprise about 80 percent of the total people engaging in syndicates in the country. As of 2023, most arrested syndicate members were charged with violations of the Stimulants Control Act, followed by fraud and assault causing injury. Members are also typically involved with extortion, gambling, money laundering, and other crimes in the industries of finance, construction, worker dispatch, and entertainment, among others.The emergence of tokuryū groups is alarming Japanese society. Members of these groups are usually connected anonymously through online websites, and their roles are subdivided, making it easier for ordinary citizens to partake in illegal activities. They differ from traditional yakuza syndicates with a clear hierarchical structure and stable members. However, some tokuryū groups are believed to have connections and money flow with yakuza groups. With a growing number of minors being cleared at crime scenes of the tokuryū syndicate, the NPA is rushing to develop countermeasures.
