2025.06.19 2025.06.20

Is Japan’s Public Safety Getting Worse?

eternalpeacelab

When you watch the news lately, have you ever thought, “Another crime again?” or “It feels like the world is getting more dangerous”?
On social media, shocking crimes like robberies or murders are widely shared, and many people are beginning to worry: “Is Japan’s public safety really getting worse?”

But is Japan actually becoming more dangerous?
In this article, we’ll take a close look at official data released by the police and the Ministry of Justice to clearly explain the real picture of Japan’s safety.

In Fact, Violent Crime in Japan is Decreasing!

First, what exactly is “violent crime”?
It refers to serious offenses that greatly affect people’s lives, such as murder, robbery, arson, and sexual assault.

So, how often do these crimes happen?
The National Police Agency and the Ministry of Justice publish data every year.
And when we look at those numbers, something surprising becomes clear.

For example, homicide cases in the early 2000s were around 1,400 per year. But by 2021, there were years with fewer than 900.
Robbery cases were over 7,000 per year around 2003, but today they’ve dropped to just over 1,000.
Arson and sexual assault cases have also significantly decreased compared to 20 years ago.

In other words, even if it seems like we hear about crimes more often in the news, the actual number of violent crimes in Japan is much lower than it was 20 years ago.
Surprising, isn’t it?

Then Why Do We Feel Like Crime is Increasing?

You might be thinking, “Wait, but it feels more dangerous lately…”
That reaction is common—and there are several reasons why.

① We See Crimes More Often Through the Internet and News

Compared to the past, information about crimes spreads instantly through the internet and social media.
We get notifications from news apps, see crime stories trending on X (formerly Twitter), or watch YouTube reports—
so we end up seeing the same crime multiple times, which makes it feel like crimes are happening more often.

② Shocking Crimes Get More Media Attention

TV and online news tend to focus on the most sensational, shocking incidents.
So even if the total number of crimes has dropped, severe, high-profile crimes stand out, making it seem like the overall situation is worse than it actually is.

③ Because Society is Safer, One Crime Feels Bigger

This may sound strange, but because crimes happen less often overall, each individual crime feels more impactful.
In the past, there may have been more incidents, but people didn’t react as strongly.
Now that crime is rarer, each case draws more attention and stands out more.

The Data Shows: Society is Slowly Getting Better

If we only rely on our feelings and assume “society is getting worse,”
we might become overly anxious or fearful.

But if we look at the actual data, we can see that Japan’s public safety is improving.

For example:

Violent crimes have decreased overall
Accidental deaths among children and teens have significantly declined
Acts of violence in schools have been on a long-term downward trend

These changes are the result of efforts from all parts of society—
from the police, schools, and local communities.
Their actions may be gradually paying off.

That’s Why We Need to Understand the Real Risks of Crime

Of course, no matter how much crime has decreased, it will never be zero.
For the victims, even a single crime can be traumatic.
So continuing to work on crime prevention is essential.

But what’s most important is to look at the numbers and understand the facts accurately.
Rather than being swept up by headlines or social media, we should check the facts ourselves and learn how to fear correctly.

Just knowing that “It feels like there are more crimes, but actually they’re decreasing” can help reduce anxiety.

Summary: Don’t be Fooled by Fear—Look at the Facts

To summarize:

Violent crime in Japan has decreased significantly over the past 30 years
The internet and media make it easy to think crime is increasing
Because society is safer, each crime feels bigger
It’s important to look at data and think calmly
Japan’s public safety is gradually improving

We’re surrounded by information every day.
That’s why it’s so important to have the ability to ask:
“What’s really going on?” and find the truth from data.

The next time you feel like “Japan is becoming more dangerous,”
pause for a moment—and take a closer look at the facts.

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