A record 16,888 cases of domestic violence were reported to police across Japan last year, up 17.2 percent from 2004, the National Police Agency said Thursday.

Domestic violence by spouses accounted for 14,752 cases, while violence by former spouses amounted to 2,136.

The NPA reported 1,367 criminal cases stemming from violence by abusive spouses, up 25 percent. Of these, 87 were cases of murder or attempted murder, up 16 percent.