A law aimed at preventing recidivism enacted by the Diet earlier this month with a unanimous vote obligates both the national and local governments to help prevent those released from prison from committing crimes again. The ministries concerned and other relevant authorities should promptly work out measures to facilitate rehabilitation of these people, who in most cases do not have a job or a place to live when they leave prison.

According to the 2016 white paper on crimes by the Justice Ministry, the overall crime situation in Japan appears to be on a positive trajectory. After peaking in 2002, the number of criminal offenses recognized by investigative authorities has fallen for 13 years in a row. Last year it reached a postwar low of 1,098,969, with theft accounting for 73 percent of the total. Another postwar low of 239,355 people were investigated in connection with crimes. Of them, 48 percent were recidivists. While the number of first offenders declined 6.3 percent from the previous year, that of repeat offenders fell only 2.9 percent.

As an indicator of recidivism, the Justice Ministry examines how many offenders end up in prison again soon after release. According to the white paper, 18.5 percent of offenders released from prison in 2014 were behind bars again within two years. As the government seeks to reduce the ratio to 16 percent or less by 2021, the rehabilitation of elderly offenders is becoming an issue.