Society

Crime in Japan drops to lowest postwar level

Feb 04 (Japan Times) - The number of crimes recorded in Japan in 2020 hit the lowest level in the postwar era for the sixth straight year, with a sharp decline in street crime as people stayed home during the coronavirus pandemic, police data showed Thursday.

However, the number of consultations on domestic violence and cybercrime reached record-high levels, according to the National Police Agency data.

Overall, there were 614,303 crime cases in Japan last year, down 17.9% from the 2019 figure — the fastest pace of decline on record.

“Changes in society such as the spread of ‘the new normal’ (amid the pandemic) will continue to impact the future crime situation,” an NPA official said. “But it’s possible that there are more victims of abuse, domestic violence and stalking who remain hidden, so we will take preventative measures by responding promptly to consultations.”

Street crime, including vending-machine vandalism and snatch-and-run cases, fell 27.0% from the previous year to 199,282. The decline was especially conspicuous after the first state of emergency over the virus was declared in April, with a 43.2% plunge on year seen in May.

Heinous crimes, including murder, dropped 9.7% to 8,934.

The number of consultations on domestic violence rose 0.5% from the previous year to a record 82,641, of which 8,701 cases were investigated.

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