Stalking Cases Hit Record High in Japan in 2025

Tokyo, March 19 (Jiji Press)--The number of stalking cases handled by police in Japan in 2025 hit the highest level since the antistalking law took effect in 2000, National Police Agency data showed Thursday.

The figure rose by 205 from the previous year to 1,546. Other violations linked to stalking, such as illegal entry into homes, also jumped 428 to 2,171. The number of restraining orders to stop stalking and similar acts topped 3,000 for the first time.

Last year, police received 22,881 cases of consultation requests on stalking from victims and others, up by 3,314.

The number of restraining orders issued grew 622 to 3,037. Of them, about 60 pct were emergency orders, which are given without holding hearings of perpetrators. Police handled 244 violations of the orders.

Warnings issued by police to stalkers increased by 98 to 1,577. The figure rose for the first time in five years, although it had been falling back from a spike after the country switched to allowing police to issue an emergency order before a warning.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]