The Changing Nature of Crime and Punishment in Japan

Japan's crime rate, although still low by Western standards, has been rising every year since 1996. This paper focuses on the three areas that have attracted greatest attention: violent crime by male juveniles, schoolgirl prostitution, and organized crime that increasingly includes foreigners. Because Japanese patterns of schoolgirl prostitution and organized crime are most unique, these two areas are examined in more detail. Causes and solutions for Japan's mounting crime problems, as reported by domestic and foreign media sources, are surveyed. The Japanese exercise of the "rule of law" is considered more generally. Examples of non-compliance with laws by Japanese citizens in private and public capacities, relatively lax enforcement of laws by Japanese police, and the meting out of relatively lenient punishments by Japanese judges are placed into broader social context. Japanese society is undergoing a profound transition in terms of public safety and criminal justice: movement toward a rule of law featuring fuller enforcement and more substantial punishment is discernible.