Is Crime Against Foreigners in Japan Really Increasing? A Data-Based Look (2025)
In November 2025, the Chinese government issued a travel advisory telling its citizens to avoid non‑essential travel to Japan, citing “rising security risks” and more frequent illegal and criminal incidents against Chinese nationals. For many people in Japan, this announcement felt very different from daily reality.
If you live here, you still see packed trains full of tourists, convenience‑store staff patiently helping lost visitors, and local communities trying hard to welcome guests from overseas. So what is going on? Is Japan suddenly becoming dangerous for Chinese visitors and other foreigners – or is the picture more complicated?
In this article, we look directly at official Japanese crime statistics and international data to answer one simple question:
Are crimes against foreigners in Japan really increasing?
Our focus is on reliable numbers, not internet rumors or political statements.
- What Did China Say, and Why Now?
- What Do Official Japanese Statistics Actually Show?
- How Many Chinese People Live in Japan?
- Crime Trends in Japan Overall
- How Much Crime Involves Foreigners?
- How Safe Is Japan Compared with Other Countries?
- What Do These Numbers Mean for Chinese and Other Foreign Visitors?
- How Ordinary Japanese People Treat Foreign Visitors
- Practical Safety Tips for Foreign Visitors in Japan
- Conclusion
- A Personal View from Everyday Life in Japan
What Did China Say, and Why Now?
China’s latest travel advisory did not appear out of nowhere. It came amid a sharp diplomatic dispute after Japan’s new prime minister made strong comments about the Taiwan issue. In response, Beijing condemned the remarks and announced a series of countermeasures: travel warnings, the suspension of some cultural exchanges, and encouragement for airlines and tour agencies to cancel trips to Japan.
In that political context, Chinese officials said that public security in Japan had become unstable and that there had been an increase in incidents targeting Chinese nationals. Some media reports and social‑media posts went further, implying that ordinary Japanese people were becoming more hostile or that crimes against Chinese visitors were “surging.”
These are very serious claims. So how do they compare with the data collected by Japan’s own police and government agencies?
What Do Official Japanese Statistics Actually Show?
To respond to China’s statements, Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) did something very simple and very important: it published fresh crime data from the National Police Agency (NPA) showing serious offenses in Japan where the victims were Chinese nationals.
The figures cover three serious crimes – murder, robbery, and arson – and compare recent years:
- 2023 (full year)
- Murder: 15 cases
- Robbery: 31 cases
- Arson: 2 cases
- Total: 48 cases
- 2024 (full year)
- Murder: 15 cases
- Robbery: 27 cases
- Arson: 3 cases
- Total: 45 cases
- January–October 2024: 35 cases total
- January–October 2025: 28 cases total
So, according to the Japanese government’s own data:
- The total number of serious crimes against Chinese victims fell slightly from 48 (2023) to 45 (2024).
- Comparing the first ten months of each year, the number dropped from 35 (2024) to 28 (2025).
In other words, there is no evidence of an explosion or surge in serious violent crimes against Chinese nationals. If anything, the numbers have edged downward.
It is also important to remember that these figures include all cases where the victim is Chinese, regardless of whether the suspect is Japanese, Chinese, or another nationality. The statistics do not support the idea that Japanese people as a group are suddenly attacking Chinese visitors.
How Many Chinese People Live in Japan?
To understand these numbers, we also need a sense of scale.
According to Japan’s immigration statistics, by the end of 2024 there were around 870,000 Chinese nationals living in Japan as mid‑ to long‑term residents, making them the largest foreign community in the country. On top of that, in normal times Japan receives millions of Chinese visitors per year when travel is not restricted.
Against that backdrop, dozens of serious cases per year is of course painful and important for the people and families involved – every single victim matters. But statistically, the risk that any individual Chinese resident or visitor will suffer a serious violent crime in Japan remains very low.
Crime Trends in Japan Overall
What about crime in Japan more generally – is the whole country becoming more dangerous?
Japan’s National Police Agency reports all Penal Code offenses each year. According to the government’s Statistical Handbook:
- 2022: 601,331 penal code offenses known to the police
- 2023: 703,351 offenses (up about 17% from 2022)
- 2024: 737,679 offenses (up about 4.9% from 2023)
At first glance, that sounds like a big increase. But when you dig into the details, you find that:
- Around two‑thirds of all cases are theft‑related (shoplifting, bicycle theft, etc.), not violent attacks.
- Even after this recent uptick, the crime rate per thousand people is still far below the levels seen in the early 2000s.
- Japan remains one of the countries with the lowest homicide rates in the world, and serious violent crimes are a very small share of total offenses.
So yes, reported crime has risen modestly since the pandemic years – but mainly due to property crimes and opportunistic theft, not a wave of hate crimes or targeted violence against foreigners.
How Much Crime Involves Foreigners?
Another common myth, especially on social media, is that foreigners – and Chinese people in particular – are responsible for a huge share of crime in Japan. That misunderstanding sometimes feeds fear in both directions.
However, a 2024 analysis by an independent fact‑checking team, using official National Police Agency data for 2023, found that:
- Out of all criminal prosecutions in Japan in 2023, Chinese nationals accounted for about 1.1%.
- They also made up around 1.1% of all criminal suspects.
- Looking only at cases involving foreign nationals, Chinese suspects were a minority within a relatively small foreign‑crime category.
- Over the last decade, the share of cases involving Chinese nationals has never exceeded around 1.4% of total criminal cases in Japan.
In short, foreigners – including Chinese residents – are neither the main source of crime in Japan, nor the main victims. The overwhelming majority of crimes in Japan involve Japanese people on both sides: as victims and as offenders.
How Safe Is Japan Compared with Other Countries?
What do other governments say when they advise their own citizens about travel to Japan?
- Countries such as Australia describe Japan as having a low crime rate, while still warning travellers to be careful in nightlife districts where drink‑spiking, overcharging, and credit‑card fraud sometimes occur.
- Recent international rankings by insurance and travel‑risk firms place Japan among the safest destinations in the world, and the safest country in Asia in some lists. These assessments take into account crime, health risks, political stability, and the quality of infrastructure.
None of these organisations suggest that Japan has suddenly become a high‑risk destination for foreign tourists in general, or for Chinese nationals specifically.
What Do These Numbers Mean for Chinese and Other Foreign Visitors?
Let’s connect the dots:
- Serious crimes against Chinese victims: Official Japanese data show dozens, not hundreds, of murder, robbery, and arson cases per year – and the total has slightly decreased, not increased dramatically, in the most recent data.
- Overall crime trend: Total reported crime has risen modestly since the pandemic but remains far below earlier historical levels, and most of the increase comes from theft and fraud, not from violent attacks.
- Foreigners in the crime statistics: Chinese nationals account for about 1% of all prosecutions and suspects, and the share of cases involving them has remained low for at least a decade. Foreigners are neither the main criminals nor the main targets in Japan.
- International view: Many foreign governments still classify Japan as a low‑risk destination where normal safety precautions are sufficient.
Put together, these points do not support the narrative that Japan has suddenly become a uniquely dangerous place for Chinese people or other foreign visitors.
Of course, crime does exist here, and individual incidents – especially if they are caught on camera or shared online – can be shocking and painful. But the broader statistical picture is very different from the image of a country in which foreigners are constantly targeted.
How Ordinary Japanese People Treat Foreign Visitors
Numbers are important, but anyone who has actually lived or travelled in Japan will tell you that everyday behaviour matters just as much.
Most Japanese people grow up with strong social expectations to:
- be polite to guests,
- avoid troubling others, and
- help people who look lost or confused.
If you stand in front of a ticket machine looking confused, there is a good chance a stranger will quietly come over to help you – even if their English (or Chinese) is limited. Staff at train stations, convenience stores, and tourist sites are trained to respond patiently to foreign customers.
That doesn’t mean there is zero discrimination or that every experience will be perfect. Foreign residents do sometimes report rude comments, suspicious looks, or problems with housing and employment. But for the vast majority of short‑term visitors, the biggest “risk” is still getting lost in a train station or ordering the wrong item from a vending machine.
Practical Safety Tips for Foreign Visitors in Japan
Even in a relatively safe country, it is smart to take basic precautions. Here are some practical tips for Chinese and other foreign travellers:
- Stay alert in nightlife districts. In areas like Shinjuku and Shibuya in Tokyo or Namba and Dotonbori in Osaka, be cautious about invitations from touts, and be careful with your drinks and your credit card.
- Keep valuables secure. Japan is safer than many countries, but bags and smartphones can still be stolen if left unattended.
- Use official taxis and reputable services. Avoid unlicensed vehicles or “too good to be true” offers from strangers.
- Know the emergency numbers. Call 110 for police and 119 for ambulance or fire.
- Register your trip with your own country’s embassy or consulate if that service exists, and keep the location and phone number of your embassy handy.
- Follow local news and official travel advisories, especially during times of political tension.
Taking these steps will greatly reduce your risk – in Japan or in almost any country.
Conclusion
China’s travel advisory has made many people wonder whether Japan is becoming dangerous for Chinese travellers and other foreign visitors. When we look calmly at the data, a different picture emerges.
- Serious violent crimes against Chinese nationals in Japan have not surged; recent numbers from Japan’s own police show a slight decline.
- Overall crime in Japan has risen somewhat since the pandemic but remains low by international standards and is dominated by non‑violent offenses like theft.
- Chinese nationals make up only around 1% of all criminal prosecutions and suspects in Japan, and their share has stayed low for many years.
- Independent travel‑risk assessments and foreign governments’ advisories still describe Japan as a low‑crime, relatively safe destination.
None of this means that problems do not exist, or that individual cases are unimportant. Every victim is a real person, and every incident deserves to be taken seriously. But broad claims that Japan is now generally unsafe for Chinese people or that Japanese society has become widely hostile to foreigners are not supported by the available evidence.
If you are considering a trip to Japan, it is wise to stay informed, follow normal safety precautions, and keep an eye on official advisories from your own government. At the same time, you can remember that millions of visitors – including many from China – have travelled here in recent years, enjoyed their stay, and returned home safely.
Japan is not a perfect country, but it remains a place where most people genuinely want to welcome guests from overseas – and where the numbers still say that violent crime against foreigners is rare.
A Personal View from Everyday Life in Japan
On a personal note, I also want to share what I see in my own everyday life in Japan.
At my daughter’s elementary school, one of her classmates is a Chinese boy. From what I have seen at school events and when I talk with my daughter, the other children treat him kindly and naturally include him, just like any other friend. There is no sense that he is singled out or treated differently because he is Chinese.
My daughter also goes to a ballet school where there are three Chinese girls among the students. The teacher, the other children, and their parents all interact with them warmly and equally. I often go to pick up and drop off my daughter, and I enjoy chatting with those Chinese girls as well. They laugh, talk about school and hobbies, and seem to feel very much at home there.
Of course, my experience alone does not represent all of Japan. But I believe it is important to say clearly that there are many Japanese people who do treat foreign children and families with warmth and fairness in their daily lives.
