Child abuse cases in Japan hit record high in fiscal 2022

TOKYO, Sept. 7 (Xinhua) -- The number of child abuse cases handled by child consultation centers across Japan hit record 219,170 in the fiscal year 2022, government data showed Thursday.

The figure involving children under the age of 18 rose 11,510 from the previous year, hitting its highest for the 32nd straight year since statistics began in fiscal 1990, according to preliminary data released by the Children and Families Agency.

Psychological abuse accounted for about 60 percent of the total, with about 129,500 cases. That was up by more than 4,700 from the previous year.

Physical abuse accounted for nearly 24 percent, with about 51,700 cases, followed by neglect at about 16 percent and around 35,600 cases. About one percent of the cases involved sexual abuse, with around 2,500 cases.

In the year that ended in March 2023, over half of the total cases were reported from police to child consultation centers, underlying an increasing awareness about child abuse prevention at various organizations.