Homicide in Contemporary Japan

This paper examines patterns of homicide in Japan from 1989 to 1995 using data from the Heisei 00nen no Hanzai (Crime in 19XX [sic]). The analysis of these statistics produced the following patterns: men predominated as both victims and suspects; homicides typically occurred between friends or relatives; the most commonly used weapons were knives; and the most common motives were hatred and sexual jealousy. Comparisons were made with a similar study of statistics from the English and Welsh Homicide Index, and Japan was found to be similar except in two respects: the influence of bo<@175>ryokudan (organized criminal gangs), and the possibility that, in the case of parricide, much of the violence was directed by sons against their mothers.