The number of Penal Code violations reported in Japan between January and November hit a record high 2,228,567, according to a National Police Agency report released Thursday.
The number of violations rose by 247,710, or 12.5 percent, over the same period in 1999 and exceeded 2 million for the third consecutive year. The NPA expects this year's total to reach 2.4 million, up from the 1999 postwar record of 2.17 million.
The number of cases in which suspects were arrested, however, dropped to a record low of 24.3 percent, the report says.
The NPA said total arrests declined even though the number of thefts rose because arrests were down. The agency said investigators are too busy dealing with serious crimes such as murder and armed robbery to keep up with the increase in petty theft.
The arrest rate for serious crimes, however, also dropped 11 percentage points to a record low of 62.1 percent.