A record 8,347 Japanese nationals sought assistance or advice at overseas embassies and consulates in 2000 after becoming victims of crimes, up 10 percent from the previous year, the Foreign Ministry said Thursday.
According to an annual survey on the protection of Japanese nationals abroad, the number of accidents and incidents involving Japanese also hit a record 14,752 cases, up 8.7 percent.
The most prominent rise in criminal cases was seen in those who were injured in robberies, jumping 113.2 percent to 435. The report says the main culprit for this was Spain, where 237 victims -- a 146.9 percent rise -- were robbed and hurt, mainly because they were held by the neck while being robbed.