People walk cross a pedestrian crossing in Shibuya district under hot and muggy weather, July 13, 2023, in Tokyo. (PHOTO / AP)
TOKYO – The number of crime cases reported in Japan during the first half (H1) of 2023 increased by more than 20 percent compared to the same period in the previous year, the latest police data has shown.
There were a total of 333,003 cases of crime during the January-June period, representing a notable 21.1-percent increase from the previous year, the National Police Agency said in a recent report.
The surge is partly attributed to a rise in street crime and break-ins, which occurred following relaxed COVID-19 restrictions, according to the report
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It marked the first time in 21 years that crime numbers have shown an uptick on a January-June basis, according to the report, adding that the increase in criminal activity follows a similar trend observed in 2022 when Japan recorded more crimes for the first time in 20 years.
The surge is partly attributed to a rise in street crime and break-ins, which occurred following relaxed COVID-19 restrictions, according to the report released Wednesday.
Street crimes, including incidents such as bicycle theft, saw a substantial rise of 29.7 percent compared to the previous year to reach 110,744 cases, the data showed.
Meanwhile, break-ins increased by 28.0 percent to reach 27,741 cases, and robberies saw a significant jump of 23.8 percent from the previous year with 228,889 reported cases.
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The agency addressed concerns about declining public safety due to the increase in sensational and familiar-location crimes.