More than 90% of Japanese people expect public security and crime levels to worsen, according to a new survey [1].
This trend highlights a growing psychological gap in Japan, where an overwhelming majority of the population feels vulnerable despite a lack of corresponding action to secure their homes and personal safety.
The study, conducted by Hiroaki Hamada, a senior researcher at the Secu IS Research Institute, indicates that more than 60% of respondents have not taken any crime-prevention measures [1]. The survey was conducted online across Japan and is part of a longitudinal study that began in 2012 [1].
Concerns are being driven by the increasing complexity of criminal methods and anxieties regarding the aging of social infrastructure [1], [2]. These fears align with recent data showing that penal code offenses reached 737,679 cases in 2024, representing a 4.9% increase over the previous year [2].
Hamada said that many people feel they do not know the correct methods for crime prevention. He said that the fundamental basis of security starts with consistent locking habits.
"The basics of crime prevention are first and foremost the thorough locking of doors," Hamada said [1]. He said that using auxiliary locks to increase the time it takes for an intruder to enter is also effective, particularly during long periods of absence.
The survey results suggest that while the fear of crime is reaching record levels, the transition from anxiety to active prevention remains low for a significant portion of the population [1].
“More than 90% of Japanese people expect public security and crime levels to worsen.”
The disparity between the high level of perceived risk and the low rate of preventative action suggests a systemic 'security paralysis' in Japan. As criminal tactics evolve and infrastructure ages, the public's anxiety is outstripping their practical knowledge of how to mitigate those risks, potentially increasing the vulnerability of the general population to preventable crimes.
