Rise and Fall of Japan’s Crime Rate

Japan is said to have one of the lowest crime rates for civilized countries.

In 1980, Japan experienced just 1.16 crimes per 100 people.

However, that number steadily grew to 2.24 per 100 when it peaked in 2002. The steepest growth was from 1997 – 2002…the worst years of Japan's economical woes.

Japan's economy began to improve from 2002 and the crime rate started dropping – 2.01 per 100 in 2004.

Is there a corelation to crime rate and being out of work, hard up, getting paid less?

Seems so to me.

What do you think?

Asahi Nenkan – 2006