In 2023, the Japanese police recognized ***** Penal Code offenses among 100,000 inhabitants, reaching the *** mark for the first time in the 2020s. After reaching its peak in 2002 at ******* per 100,000 of the population, the crime rate in Japan continuously declined until ****.

The police in Japan cleared *** homicide cases in 2024, an increase from *** in the previous year. In 2024, the police recorded 970 murder cases.

The average for 2017 based on 97 countries was 7.4 homicides per 100,000 people. The highest value was in El Salvador: 61.8 homicides per 100,000 people and the lowest value was in Japan: 0.2 homicides per 100,000 people. The indicator is available from 1990 to 2017. Below is a chart for all countries where data are available.

Japan JP: Intentional Homicides: Female: per 100,000 Female data was reported at 0.302 Ratio in 2016. This records a decrease from the previous number of 0.333 Ratio for 2015. Japan JP: Intentional Homicides: Female: per 100,000 Female data is updated yearly, averaging 0.366 Ratio from Dec 2004 (Median) to 2016, with 13 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 0.517 Ratio in 2008 and a record low of 0.291 Ratio in 2013. Japan JP: Intentional Homicides: Female: per 100,000 Female data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Japan – Table JP.World Bank: Health Statistics. Intentional homicides, female are estimates of unlawful female homicides purposely inflicted as a result of domestic disputes, interpersonal violence, violent conflicts over land resources, intergang violence over turf or control, and predatory violence and killing by armed groups. Intentional homicide does not include all intentional killing; the difference is usually in the organization of the killing. Individuals or small groups usually commit homicide, whereas killing in armed conflict is usually committed by fairly cohesive groups of up to several hundred members and is thus usually excluded.; ; UN Office on Drugs and Crime's International Homicide Statistics database.; ;

Actual value and historical data chart for Japan Intentional Homicides Per 100 000 People

Historical dataset showing Japan murder/homicide rate per 100K population by year from 1990 to 2021.

The United States had, by far, the highest homicide rate of the G7 countries between 2000 and 2023. In 2023, it reached 5.76 homicides per 100,000 inhabitants, a decrease from 6.78 in 2021. By comparison, Canada, the G7 nation with the second-highest homicide rate, had 1.98 homicides per 100,000 inhabitants in 2023. Out of each G7 nation, Japan had the lowest rate with 0.23 homicides per 100,000 inhabitants.

Historical dataset showing Japan crime rate per 100K population by year from 1990 to 2021.

In 2023, approximately *** theft offenses were recognized by the police per 100,000 inhabitants in Japan, representing the crime type that most frequently occurred in Japanese society. Property damage followed, with the rate of about **** cases among 100,000 of the population.

In 2024, ******cases of incidents involving the discharge of firearms were reported in Japan. Although figures fluctuated from year to year, this continued a general downward trend after the decade-high number of ** gun shooting incidents reported in 2016. ****people died from gun shooting incidents in 2024. Gun control Gun possession for general citizens in Japan is strictly regulated under the Act for Controlling the Possession of Firearms or Swords and Other Such Weapons enacted in 1958. According to the act, gun possession is only allowed for hunting and shooting sports purposes. The only firearms permitted for ownership are hunting rifles, shotguns, other hunting guns, and air guns. It is required to undergo numerous procedures to obtain a gun permit, such as providing a resume and a medical certificate from a psychiatrist, attending classroom lectures and technical training, and passing exams. Applicants must repeat similar procedures every three years to renew the permit. As of 2023, about ******* guns were owned with licenses among citizens across the country. Killing of Shinzo Abe Ex-Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, the longest-serving prime minister in Japanese history, was shot and killed in July 2022. The incident marked the first assassination of a former Japanese prime minister since 1936. The suspect used a homemade gun created with DIY store materials. Following the incident, experts suggest tightening the security system for politicians and regulations for handmade or modified guns.

Japan JP: Number of Deaths Ages 20-24 Years data was reported at 1,964.000 Person in 2019. This records a decrease from the previous number of 2,027.000 Person for 2018. Japan JP: Number of Deaths Ages 20-24 Years data is updated yearly, averaging 3,435.000 Person from Dec 1990 (Median) to 2019, with 30 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 5,325.000 Person in 1995 and a record low of 1,964.000 Person in 2019. Japan JP: Number of Deaths Ages 20-24 Years data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Japan – Table JP.World Bank.WDI: Health Statistics. Number of deaths of youths ages 20-24 years; ; Estimates developed by the UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (UNICEF, WHO, World Bank, UN DESA Population Division) at www.childmortality.org.; Sum; Aggregate data for LIC, UMC, LMC, HIC are computed based on the groupings for the World Bank fiscal year in which the data was released by the UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation.

In 2024, *** people died after being shot in Japan. Both of the victims were part of an organized crime group. That year, there were ***** incidents of discharging firearms reported in Japan, of which *** cases were related to crime syndicate groups.

Japan JP: Number of Deaths Ages 10-14 Years data was reported at 440.000 Person in 2019. This records a decrease from the previous number of 449.000 Person for 2018. Japan JP: Number of Deaths Ages 10-14 Years data is updated yearly, averaging 638.500 Person from Dec 1990 (Median) to 2019, with 30 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 1,508.000 Person in 1995 and a record low of 440.000 Person in 2019. Japan JP: Number of Deaths Ages 10-14 Years data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Japan – Table JP.World Bank.WDI: Health Statistics. Number of deaths of adolescents ages 10-14 years; ; Estimates developed by the UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (UNICEF, WHO, World Bank, UN DESA Population Division) at www.childmortality.org.; Sum; Aggregate data for LIC, UMC, LMC, HIC are computed based on the groupings for the World Bank fiscal year in which the data was released by the UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation.

In the fiscal year 2023, the total annual budget of the National Police Agency (NPA) in Japan amounted to approximately 300.6 billion Japanese yen. The budget increased compared to around 289 billion Japanese yen in the previous year.

Number, percentage and rate (per 100,000 population) of persons accused of homicide, by racialized identity group (total, by racialized identity group; racialized identity group; South Asian; Chinese; Black; Filipino; Arab; Latin American; Southeast Asian; West Asian; Korean; Japanese; other racialized identity group; multiple racialized identity; racialized identity, but racialized identity group is unknown; rest of the population; unknown racialized identity group), gender (all genders; male; female; gender unknown) and region (Canada; Atlantic region; Quebec; Ontario; Prairies region; British Columbia; territories), 2019 to 2024.

The average for 2017 based on 23 countries was 2.3 homicides per 100,000 people. The highest value was in the Philippines: 8.4 homicides per 100,000 people and the lowest value was in Japan: 0.2 homicides per 100,000 people. The indicator is available from 1990 to 2017. Below is a chart for all countries where data are available.

The number of deaths in Japan amounted to approximately **** million in 2023, an increase compared to the previous year. Accordingly, the death rate in Japan increased as well in the most recent decade.

Japan JP: Number of Deaths Ages 5-9 Years data was reported at 388.000 Person in 2019. This records a decrease from the previous number of 403.000 Person for 2018. Japan JP: Number of Deaths Ages 5-9 Years data is updated yearly, averaging 665.000 Person from Dec 1990 (Median) to 2019, with 30 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 1,646.000 Person in 1995 and a record low of 388.000 Person in 2019. Japan JP: Number of Deaths Ages 5-9 Years data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Japan – Table JP.World Bank.WDI: Health Statistics. Number of deaths of children ages 5-9 years; ; Estimates developed by the UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (UNICEF, WHO, World Bank, UN DESA Population Division) at www.childmortality.org.; Sum; Aggregate data for LIC, UMC, LMC, HIC are computed based on the groupings for the World Bank fiscal year in which the data was released by the UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation.

Japan: Deaths of male children under five years of age per 1000 live births: The latest value from 2022 is 2 deaths per 1000 births, a decline from 3 deaths per 1000 births in 2021. In comparison, the world average is 27 deaths per 1000 births, based on data from 187 countries. Historically, the average for Japan from 1960 to 2022 is 11 deaths per 1000 births. The minimum value, 2 deaths per 1000 births, was reached in 2022 while the maximum of 43 deaths per 1000 births was recorded in 1960.

In the fiscal year 2023, the total budget of prefectural police in Japan amounted to approximately 3.43 trillion Japanese yen. This marked a slight increase from the previous year.