The number of children under 18 who have become victims of child pornography in Japan rose to a record-high 383 in the first half of 2015, up 58 from the year before, a police report showed Thursday.

The preliminary report by the National Police Agency said the police took action against 659 individuals, up 76 from the previous year. The number of cases of production and distribution of child pornography investigated was 831, up 43.

The figures were also the highest since the police began taking records on a semiannual basis in 2000.