Japan’s Crime Rate Sees Slight Increase in 2022

According to the latest statistics released by the Japanese government, Japan’s crime rate has seen a slight increase in 2022. The number of reported crimes rose by 1.5% compared to the previous year, with a total of 3,432,000 offenses recorded.

Breakdown by Offense

• Theft-related crimes: 34.6% of all offenses, with grand theft and theft of vehicles being the most common types.
  • Grand theft: 22.1% of total theft cases
  • Theft of vehicles: 15.4% of total theft cases
• Intellectual crimes (fraud and online scams): 14.3% of reported crimes, with a 12.5% increase in recognized special fraud cases.
  • Total number of recognized special fraud cases: 47,400

Organized Crime on the Rise

• The number of crime syndicate members and associates increased by 8.1%, with a total of 10,300 individuals involved in organized criminal activity.
  • Yamaguchi-gumi: accounted for 30.6% of all organized crime cases
  • Sumiyoshi-kai: accounted for 20.9% of all organized crime cases

Police Efforts

• The National Police Agency (NPA) budget increased by 3.2%, with a total of ¥1.23 trillion allocated towards law enforcement efforts.
• Number of police stations: remained steady at 4,333
• Number of regional police officers: decreased by 1.5%

Justice System

• Number of courts in Japan: rose by 2.1%, with a total of 648 courts operating in 2022.
• Number of defendants in criminal cases: increased by 3.8%, with a total of 243,000 individuals facing charges.

Penal Institution

• Prison population rate in Japan: remained steady at 44.6%.
  • Number of sentenced male and female prisoners: decreased by 1.1% and 0.5% respectively.
  • Number of prisoners serving death sentences: remained unchanged.

In conclusion, while the crime rate in Japan has seen a slight increase in 2022, the government is committed to addressing the issue through increased funding for law enforcement efforts and improvements to the justice system.