The police in Japan recorded 970 murder cases in 2024, a light increase from the previous year. A regional breakdown of murder cases showed that the majority of cases in 2024 occurred in Japan's Kanto region.

In 2023, approximately 0.7 homicide cases were recognized by the police per 100,000 inhabitants in Japan. The murder rate in the country did not fluctuate much in the observed period.

The police in Japan's Kanto region recorded 280 homicide cases in 2024. The Kanto region was followed by the the Kinki region, with more than 240 recognized murder cases. That year, the total number of murder cases recorded across Japan amounted to 970.

In 2023, the Japanese police recognized 565.5 Penal Code offenses among 100,000 inhabitants, reaching the 500 mark for the first time in the 2020s. After reaching its peak in 2002 at 2,238.5 per 100,000 of the population, the crime rate in Japan continuously declined until 2021.

Japan crime rate per 100K population for 2021 was 0.23, a 9.93% decline from 2020.

• Japan crime rate per 100K population for 2020 was 0.25, a 0.12% increase from 2019.
• Japan crime rate per 100K population for 2019 was 0.25, a 4.12% decline from 2018.
• Japan crime rate per 100K population for 2018 was 0.26, a 9.48% increase from 2017.

Intentional homicides are estimates of unlawful 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.

The police in Japan cleared 814 homicide cases in 2023, excluding unfounded or unpunishable cases. 268 murder cases involved the use of kitchen knives, followed by 69 cases using other types of knives.

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.

Number, percentage and rate (per 100,000 population) of homicide victims, 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 2023.

In 2023, nine 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 32 gun shooting incidents reported in 2014. Seven people died from gun shooting incidents that year. 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 2022, about 183.5 thousand guns were owned with licenses among citizens across the country. The number of confiscated weapons in 2022 amounted to 321 pistols, 35 hunting guns, and 10 air guns. 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.

In 2023, seven people died after being shot in Japan. Three of the victims were part of an organized crime group. That year, there were nine incidents of discharging firearms reported in Japan, of which three cases were related to crime syndicate groups.

Vital Statistics: Japanese Only: Deaths data was reported at 106,271.000 Person in Jul 2018. This records an increase from the previous number of 98,435.000 Person for Jun 2018. Vital Statistics: Japanese Only: Deaths data is updated monthly, averaging 91,609.000 Person from Jan 1994 (Median) to Jul 2018, with 295 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 135,504.000 Person in Jan 2018 and a record low of 64,002.000 Person in Jun 1994. Vital Statistics: Japanese Only: Deaths data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Japan – Table JP.G005: Vital Statistics.

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.

The United States had, by far, the highest homicide rate of the G7 countries between 2000 and 2021. In 2021, it reached 6.81 homicides per 100,000 inhabitants, an increase from 6.52 in 2020 and 5.07 in 2019. By comparison, Canada, the G7 nation with the second highest homicide rate, had 2.07 homicides per 100,000 inhabitants in 2021. Out of each G7 nation, Japan had the lowest rate with 0.23 homicides per 100,000 inhabitants.

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.

The average for 2017 based on 10 countries was 1.5 homicides per 100,000 people. The highest value was in the USA: 5.3 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.

Vital Statistics: Japanese Only: Fetal Deaths data was reported at 20,349.000 Person in 2017. This records a decrease from the previous number of 20,934.000 Person for 2016. Vital Statistics: Japanese Only: Fetal Deaths data is updated yearly, averaging 77,446.000 Person from Dec 1947 (Median) to 2017, with 71 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 217,231.000 Person in 1951 and a record low of 20,349.000 Person in 2017. Vital Statistics: Japanese Only: Fetal Deaths data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Japan – Table JP.G005: Vital Statistics.

【リソース】Volume 1_5-1_Trends in deaths, death rates (per 1,000 population) by sex and sex ratio:Japan / / Volume 1_5-2_Trends in crude death rates and age-adjusted death rates (per 1,000 population) by sex:Japan / Volume 1_5-3_International comparison of crude death rates and age-standardized death rates (per 100,000 population), 2008 / Volume 1_5-4_Trends in deaths and death rates (per 1,000 population) by month:Japan / Volume 1_5-5_Trends in deaths by place of occurrence:Japan / Volume 1_5-6_Trends in percent distribution of deaths by place of occurrence:Japan / Volume 1_5-7_Deaths by place of occurrence:Japan, each prefecture and 21 major cities, 2012 / Volume 1_5-8_Percent distribution of deaths by place of occurrence:Japan, each prefecture and 21 major cities, 2012 / Volume 1_5-9_Trends in deaths by each prefecture:Japan / Volume 1_5-10_Trends in death rates (per 1,000 population) by each prefecture:Japan / Volume 1_5-11_Trends in leading causes of death:Japan / Volume 1_5-12_Trends in deaths and death rates (per 100,000 population) by sex and causes of death:Japan / Volume 1_5-13_Trends in deaths and death rates (per 100,000 population) by sex and causes (the condensed list of causes of death for Japan):Japan / Volume 1_5-14_Trends in age-adjusted death rates (per 100,000 population) by sex and causes of death:Japan / Volume 1_5-15_Trends in deaths and death rates (per 100,000 population) by sex, age and causes of death:Japan / Volume 1_5-16_Death rates (per 100,000 population) by sex, age and causes (the condensed list of causes of death for Japan):Japan, 2012 / Volume 1_5-17_Leading causes of death by sex and age:Japan, 2012 / Volume 1_5-18_Death rates (per 100,000 population) by causes (the condensed list of causes of death for Japan) by month:Japan, 2012 / Volume 1_5-19_Death rates (per 100,000 population) by causes (the condensed list of causes of death for Japan):Japan, each prefecture and 21 major cities, 2012 / Volume 1_5-20_Leading causes of death:Japan, each prefecture and 21 major cities, 2012 / Volume 1_5-21_Trends in deaths and percent distribution from leading causes of death by sex and place of occurrence:Japan / Volume 1_5-22_Deaths and percent distribution from leading causes of death by sex, age and place of occurrence:Japan, 2012 / Volume 1_5-23_Deaths and percent distribution by causes (the selected list of causes of death for Japan) and type of occupation of household:Japan, 2012 / Volume 1_5-24_Trends in deaths and death rates (per 100,000 population) from malignant neoplasms by sex and site:Japan / Volume 1_5-25_Trends in death rates (per 100,000 population) from malignant neoplasms by sex, age and site:Japan / Volume 1_5-26_Trends in age-adjusted death rates (per 100,000 population) from malignant neoplasms by sex and site:Japan / Volume 1_5-27_Trends in deaths, percent distribution, crude death rates and age-adjusted death rates (per 100,000 population) from cerebrovascular diseases by sex and disease type:Japan / Volume 1_5-28_Trends in deaths, percent distribution, crude death rates and age-adjusted death rates (per 100,000 population) from heart diseases by sex and disease type:Japan / Volume 1_5-29_Trends in deaths and death rates (per 100,000 population) by causes(the list of infectious diseases):Japan / Volume 1_5-30_Trends in deaths and death rates (per 100,000 population) from accidents by external causes:Japan / Volume 1_5-31_Deaths from accidents by age and external causes:Japan, 2012 / Volume 1_5-32_Percent distribution of deaths from accidents by age and external causes:Japan, 2012 / Volume 1_5-33_Trends in deaths and percent distribution from transportation accidents by external causes:Japan / Volume 1_5-34_Deaths and percent distribution from nontransportation accidents by age and place of occurrence:Japan, 2012 / Volume 1_5-35_Deaths and percent distribution from accidents at home by age and external causes:Japan, 2012 / Volume 1_5-36_Trends in deaths and percent distribution from suicide by sex and external causes:Japan / Volume 1_5-37_Trends in maternal deaths and maternal mortality rates (per 100,000 total births) by causes of death:Japan / Volume 1_5-38_Trends in late maternal deaths and late maternal mortality rates (per 100,000 total births) by causes of death:Japan / Volume 1_5-39_Trends in maternal deaths and maternal mortality rates (per 100,000 total births) by each prefecture:Japan / Volume 2_1_Deaths, infant deaths (under 1 year), neonatal deaths (under 4 weeks) and early neonatal deaths (under 1 week), by place of occurrence, for urban/rural residence:Japan, each prefecture and 21 major cities / Volume 2_2_Deaths by sex and month of occurrence:Japan, urban/rural residence, each prefecture and 21 major cities / Volume 2_3_Deaths by sex and age:Japan, each prefecture and 21 major cities / Volume 2_4_Deaths by sex and single years of age:Japan, each prefecture and 21 major cities_(1) Total,0-64years / Volume 2_4_Deaths by sex and single years of age:Ja

Vital Statistics: Japanese Only: Deaths: Male data was reported at 690,704.000 Person in 2017. This records an increase from the previous number of 674,733.000 Person for 2016. Vital Statistics: Japanese Only: Deaths: Male data is updated yearly, averaging 408,094.000 Person from Dec 1947 (Median) to 2017, with 71 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 690,704.000 Person in 2017 and a record low of 361,469.000 Person in 1963. Vital Statistics: Japanese Only: Deaths: Male data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Japan – Table JP.G005: Vital Statistics.

The police in Japan cleared 937 homicide cases in 2024, an increase from 872 in the previous year. In 2024, the police recorded 970 murder cases.

Japan: Deaths of female children under five years of age per 1000 live births: The latest value from 2022 is 2 deaths per 1000 births, unchanged from 2 deaths per 1000 births in 2021. In comparison, the world average is 23 deaths per 1000 births, based on data from 187 countries. Historically, the average for Japan from 1960 to 2022 is 9 deaths per 1000 births. The minimum value, 2 deaths per 1000 births, was reached in 2018 while the maximum of 36 deaths per 1000 births was recorded in 1960.