Cyber crime in Japan - statistics & facts

The growing relevance of digital technologies for the economy as well as people’s daily lives, which includes areas such as cashless payment methods, digital health services, and remote work, has made cyber crimes an important topic in Japan. In 2019, a surge in online banking frauds was detected, with the amount of money lost due to online banking frauds climbing to over 2.5 billion Japanese yen. In 2020, cyberbullying became a major societal issue due to the suicide of Hana Kimura, a female professional wrestler who had also appeared on a reality television series. In 2021 and 2022, the police recorded an increase of ransomware attacks aimed at businesses. As a breakdown of the number of cleared cyber crime cases shows, common offenses include issues such as frauds, violations of the laws against child prostitution and child pornography, and the targeting of computers or electromagnetic records.

Growing problem awareness

Cyber security, in general, has become a prevalent issue in Japan, partly because of the economy’s dependence on the internet, electronic devices, and automation technology, and partly because of Japan’s geopolitical position and uneasy relations with its neighboring countries. As Japanese bureaucrats and politicians were comparatively slow in responding to these issues, the country has made efforts to catch up with regard to its cyber security strategy. The government’s vision of an increasingly interconnected “Society 5.0” and the 2020 Tokyo Olympics provided an important impetus to strengthen the infrastructure against external and internal threats. Among other measures, the government revised the Telecommunications Business Act in 2018, enabling the National Institute of Information and Communication Technology (NICT) to actively survey Internet of Things (IoT) devices in its attempts to prevent DDoS attacks. In 2022, a new bureau dedicated to cyber crimes was established at the National Police Agency.

Information security measures

While the number of cleared cyber crime cases has increased in recent years, companies and individuals do not solely rely on state institutions when it comes to defending themselves against such crimes. According to one survey among companies in Japan, almost all businesses had implemented information security measures to counter online threats. The survey also showed that installing anti-virus programs on computers and other devices was the most common information security measure taken by companies. Due to the increasing reliance on the internet, tools and services promising to improve information security have become a necessity not only for businesses, but also for many consumers accessing the internet via personal devices. This is especially the case as the spread of smartphones during the 2010s has made mobile internet access much more convenient and common than before, increasing the need for effective mobile security. As the importance of connected devices is expected to grow further in the coming years, the information security market will likely expand as well.
This text provides general information. Statista assumes no liability for the information given being complete or correct. Due to varying update cycles, statistics can display more up-to-date data than referenced in the text.
Published by Statista Research Department, Apr 6, 2023

Key insights

Number of cleared cyber crime cases
12.4k
Leading type of cleared cyber crime
Fraud
Most common cyber crime damage experienced by companies within the past 12 months
Targeted email attack
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Editor’s Picks Current statistics on this topic

Number of cleared cyber crime cases in Japan from 2013 to 2022

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Number of cleared cyber crime cases in Japan 2013-2022

Number of cleared cyber crime cases in Japan in 2022, by type

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Number of cleared cyber crime cases in Japan 2022, by type

Amount of money lost through damages caused by online banking fraud in Japan from 2013 to 2022 (in billion Japanese yen)

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Value of damages caused by online banking fraud in Japan 2013-2022

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Awareness of cyber crime types among smartphone users

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Security measures of companies and households

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Information security in Japan
IT industry in Japan
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Mobile internet usage in Japan
Mobile internet usage in Japan
Software industry in Japan
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