No. of crimes involving foreigners in 2003 tops 40,000

[Maciamo]

I have just found the stats per region (I didn't see them at the bottom of the stats page first and had to make all the calculations by myself ). Well, out of the 20,007 people arrested :

- 83,3% were from Asia
- 10,9% were from South America
- 1,3% were from North America (0,8% from USA)
- 1,5% were from Europe
- 1,2% were from Russia
- 1,3% were from Africa
- 0,5% were from Oceania

Considering only the 8,725 crimes (刑法犯), so not the offences such as visa overstaying, however,

- 74,5% were from Asia
- 17,7% were from South America
- 2,2% were from North America (1,4% from USA)
- 2% were from Europe
- 1,8% were from Russia
- 0,9% were from Africa
- 0,8% were from Oceania

The comparison between the number of crimes and offences committed by Japanese and foreigners in Japan is also interesting. Considering that the foreign population of Japan represents 1,46% of the 127 million people living in Japan, it is easy to see what kind of crime/offence has the highest incidence rate among foreigners.

The following crimes exceed the proportion of foreigners who committed them :

Serious crimes (悪犯) : 5,7% (committed by foreigners)
Thefts : 2,4%
Intellectual property : 3,6%
- Prostitution : 1,6%
Offences : 15,3% (but includes immigration offences - without 3,2%)

The following crimes have a lower incidence among foreigners than Japanese :

- Violent offences : 1,3% (I guess that includes people fighting in trains and yakusa activities for the 98,7% of Japanese)

Now, let's calculate the proportion of criminals and offenders among all nationalities to see which one are more problematic regardless of the actual number of people living in Japan for each country. To achieve this I just divide the number of crimes by the number of resident for each country (stats from Japan Statistical Bureau.

[country] [residents] / [people arrested (crimes + offences)] = % (crimes + offences)

Japan : 127,435,000 / 433,305 ( 370,877 + 62,428) = 0,34% (0,29% + 0,05%)
Korea : 625,422 / 1,793 (496 + 1,297) = 0,29% (0,08% + 0,21%)
China : 424,282 / 8,996 (4,444 + 4,552) = 2,12% (1,05% + 1,07%)
Brazil : 268,332 / 1,224 (1005 + 219) = 0,46% (0,37% + 0,09%)
Philippines : 169,359 / 1,333 (329 + 1,004) = 0,79% (0,19% + 0,6 %)
Peru : 51,272 / 573 (364 + 209) = 1,12% (0,71% + 0,41%)
USA : 47,970 / 166 (119 + 47) = 0,35% (0,25% + 0,1%)
Thailand : 33,736 / 699 (68 + 631) = 2,1% ( 0,23% + 1,87%)
Vietnam : 21,050 / 718 (549 + 169) = 3,4% (2,61% + 0,79%)
UK : 18,508 / 72 (47 + 25) = 0,39% (0,25% + 0,14%)
Russia : 6,026 / 244 (160 + 84) = 4,05% (2,66% + 1,39%)
Iran : 5,769 / 410 (47 + 363) = 7,1% (0,81% + 6,29%)
Pakistan : 8,225 / 301 (44 + 257) = 3,7% (0,53% + 3,17%)
Bangladesh : 8,703 / 307 (28 + 279) = 3,5% (0,32 + 3,18%)

By region :

Asia : 1,371,171 / 16,666 (6,498 + 10,168) = 1,22% (0,47% + 0,75%)
South America : 334,602 / 2,180 (1,542 + 638) = 0,65% (0,46% + 0,19%)
North America : 63,201 / 262 (191 + 71) = 0,41% (0,3% + 0,11%)
Europe (Russia excluded) : 49,262 / 285 (176 + 109) = 0,58% (0,36% + 0,22%)
Oceania : 15,898 / 100 (75 + 25) = 0,63% (0,47% + 0,16%)
Africa : 9,694 / 268 (81 + 186) = 2,76% (0,84% + 1,92%)

Highest rate of crimes/offences per country

That means that by nationality, the highest rate of criminals and offenders combined is found among Iranian (7,1%), Russian (4,05%), Pakistani (3,7%), Bangldeshi (3,5%), Vietnamese (3,4%), Chinese (2,12%), Thai (2,1%) and Peruvian (1,12%), which are the only countries with a large number of residents in Japan with a percentage above 1%.

The Japanese crime rate is 0,34%, similar to that of US citizens(0,35%), Brits (0,39%), Brazilians (0,46%). Koreans have the lowest crime rate, which is worth mentioning as they are the single largest group of foreigners in Japan (1/3 of all foreigners).

Per continent, Africans have by far the highest crime rate (2,76%), followed by Asians (1,22%).

Highest rate of crimes only per country

If we omit the offences, as most of them are visa-related and cannot compare to Japanese rates, and concentrate on real crimes, we find a completely different ranking though. Iranians that topped the total of crimes and offences are actually for the greatest part offenders only. But most Vietnamese, Russians, and even Japanese were arrested for more crimes than offences. Here is the real crime rate :

- Russians (2,66%)
- Vietnamese (2,61%)
- Chinese (1,05%)
- Iranians (0,81%)
- Peruvians (0,71%)
- Pakistani (0,53%)
- Brazilians (0,37%)
- Bangladeshi (0,32%)
- Japanese (0,29%)
- Americans (0,25%)
- Britons (0,25%)
- Thai (0,23%)
- Philippinos (0,19%)
- Koreans (0,08%)

These numbers are extremley interesting because it shows that combined crimes and offences can be very misleading. Thai and Vietnamese have a similar combined number (699 and 718) but 90% of Thai arrested are offenders, while about 80% of Vietnamese arrested are criminals. As a result, the real crime rate of Vietnamese is 11 times higher than that of Thais.

We also see that Japanese themselves are more likely to commit real crimes than Westerners, Thai, Filipinos and Koreans. Koreans are by far again the most docile residents in Japan, with an fantastically low crime rate (0.08%), 4,5 times lower than that of Japanese.

What these number teach us is not to assimilate neighouring countries haphazardly. In Japan, Chinese commit 13x more crimes than Koreans, and Vietnamese also 13x more than Thai or Filipinos. Russians commit over 10x more crimes than British or Americans citizens.

In the continent ranking, Africa still has the highest rate (0,84%), but it is this time much closer to the average. Asians, South Americans and Oceanians have about the same real crime rate (0,47%), while North Americans and Europeans have the lowest (0,3 and 0,36%).

[kara]

> stats from Japan Statistical Bureau.
> Japan : 127,435,000 / 453,312 (379,602 + 73,710) = 0,36% (0,3% + 0,06%)

First, you shouldn't use this stats as Japanese one. "453,312 (379,602 + 73,710)" is the grand total about the number of crimes IN Japan.

Second, you can know the stats of "Japanese +foreign nationals with permanent resident status" when you do subtraction from your reports, but you never know the real "Japanese only" number. As I wrote above, they want to hide it and don't release it. All the sources we ordinary citizens can get are some technical(but not governmental) reports/researches and sensational articles.

[Maciamo]

> stats from Japan Statistical Bureau.
> Japan : 127,435,000 / 453,312 (379,602 + 73,710) = 0,36% (0,3% + 0,06%)

First, you shouldn't use this stats as Japanese one. "453,312 (379,602 + 73,710)" is the grand total about the number of crimes IN Japan.

Sorry, you are right. Thanks for noticing. It should be 433,305 ( 370,877 + 62,428) = 0,34% (0,29% + 0,05%). I have rectified it in the post above. That doesn't make such a big difference. Japan's ranking compared to other countries stays the same.

What is more, I suspect that less Japanese have been arrested compared to the real number of crimes or offences, because, as BlogD said, foreigners (especially those who do not look Japanese) have a higher chance sof being suspected and arrested, even if they aren't condemned because they were not the real culprits.

In addition, many problems are never reported to the police by the Japanese, especially when they can settle the issue between them. So again, once foreigners are involved, the chances are much higher that the police be involved and that it appears in the statistics. The point is that when one of the side does not speak Japanese (or not well enough), the police must be called. That certainly increases considerably the number of "official" foreignc crimes and offences.

One more thing I wanted to mention is that I unfortunately do not have the statstics for European countries except the UK. I guess the difference in crime rate between Western and Eastern Europe must be similar to that of North and South America, in which case, Western European (at least some countries), could have the lowest crime rate of any nationality in Japan.

[kara]

Ok, after all, your conclusion is:
Japanese police and their stats are doubtful and we shouldn't take it as truth. Let's talk the truth beyond the crappy stats.
だったら最初からもっともらしく統計なんか引っ張ってこないで下さいよ。その手のネタだってわかってたら付 き合わなかったのに。

[Maciamo]

Ok, after all, your conclusion is:
Japanese police and their stats are doubtful and we shouldn't take it as truth. Let's talk the truth beyond the crappy stats.

Don't misunderstand me. I only said that the crime rate of Japanese is probably higher because lots of people do not report incidents to the police if they can avoid it. Stats for foreigners are probably more reliable. That would be an incredible waste of time, energy and money for the NPA to make all these stats every year if they were crappy.

[kara]

I suspect that less Japanese have been arrested compared to the real number of crimes or offences, because, as BlogD said, foreigners (especially those who do not look Japanese) have a higher chance sof being suspected and arrested, even if they aren't condemned because they were not the real culprits.

Don't misunderstand me. I only said that the crime rate of Japanese is probably higher because lots of people do not report incidents to the police if they can avoid it. Stats for foreigners are probably more reliable.

suspect.... probably....
Where's the stats which confirms these opinions?




Sorry, now I'm a bit 調子に乗ってしまいました。(btw, how do I "say cyoushi ni noru" in English?)
I never think that Japanese police are more generous for foreigners than for Japanese (and yours must be...), but I also never think that the crime-arrest ratio about foreign criminals and offenders is higher than that of Japanese. And we can find such opinions(or iiwakes, do you remember another topic with me about it?) against the stats, not only the pros for foreigners, but also cons. Intelligent person like you can show more than 20 theories for both sides, if not partial-minded.

But anyway, as someone said above, the point of this thread is mainly to see what kind of crimes foreigners commit in Japan and where these foreigners are from. To denigrate the stats without reliable sources may be not so preferable.

[Maciamo]

suspect.... probably....
Where's the stats which confirms these opinions?

This is the interpretation of the stats. I am just saying that the stats might miss some crimes that are unreported to the police. Of course, they cannot be listed in the stats, otherwise there is no point in interpreting !

Sorry, now I'm a bit 調子に乗ってしまいました。

That's only natural. I also do, when I see signs "beware of foreigners" in Japan and that I am visibly one of them.

(btw, how do I "say cyoushi ni noru" in English?)

Overreacted ?

I never think that Japanese police are more generous for foreigners than for Japanese (and yours must be...), but I also never think that the crime-arrest ratio about foreign criminals and offenders is higher than that of Japanese.

I heard stories of teenagers trying to set fire to their school, or people stealing things (in comapnies, schools, organizations...), but that were never reported to the police, because the people in the organization didn't want to make it publicly known to preserve their image. As long as they can find and punish the culprits within the organization or even neighbourhood (especially in snall villages), they won't tell the police because most Japanese dislike having to deal with the police. That is why these crimes or offences are not reported.

However, if people know that an "outsider", especially a foreigner, is responsible for the crime or offence, then they will have no choice but contact the police. One reason is the language. Another is the "fear of foreigners". But the most important is that this foreigner is not part of the "group" and consequently, the can't take care of him/her by themselves. I am mostly talking of minor crimes, not murder, robberies, etc. Anyhow, vicious crimes (悪犯) only account for 0,02% of all crimes.

But anyway, as someone said above, the point of this thread is mainly to see what kind of crimes foreigners commit in Japan and where these foreigners are from. To denigrate the stats without reliable sources may be not so preferable.

I do not denigrate them. I think the comparison among foreigners is still fair.