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

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

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

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.; ;

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.

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.

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.

PERIOD: Japan proper. 1924-1928. SOURCE: [Survey by the Ministry of Home Affairs].

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.

PERIOD: 1924-1933. SOURCE: [Survey by the Ministry of Home Affairs]; [Statistical Report of the Ministry for Home Affairs].

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.

PERIOD: 1925-1934. SOURCE: [Survey by the Ministry of Home Affairs]; [Statistical Report of the Ministry for Home Affairs].

This statistic presents the results of a survey on perceived leading causes of death through interpersonal violence in Japan as of 2018. According to data published by Ipsos, Japanese respondents overestimated the number of violent deaths caused by knives. Around ** percent of respondents thought that most people killed through interpersonal violence died from knife attacks, when the actual share of stabbing victims was around ** percent of all violent deaths in Japan.

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 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.

PERIOD: Japan proper. 1923-1927. SOURCE: [Survey by the Ministry of Home Affairs].

As of 2025, there were ** casualties reported due to earthquakes and tsunamis in Japan, but **** injured people. The figure was much lower, compared to *** casualties and ***** injured people in the previous year. Since Japan is situated along the Ring of Fire, earthquakes occur regularly.

In 2023, there were ** persons wounded or killed due to earthquakes in Japan. The number of persons injured or killed by earthquakes peaked in 2011, with around ** thousand people. In that year, the Great East Japan Earthquake, also known as Tohoku Earthquake, occurred. This was the most powerful earthquake ever recorded in Japan and caused a tsunami that led to the meltdown of three reactors in the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant. The damage caused by surging water was more destructive than the earthquake, as it destroyed many Japanese cities.

PERIOD: Japan proper. 1920-1929. SOURCE: [Survey by the Ministry of Home Affairs].