Nippon Foundation Survey: 18-Year-Olds' Views on Crime, Recidivism, and Imprisonment

The Nippon Foundation (Minato-ku, Tokyo; Chairman: Takeju Ogata) conducted a survey in May on 18-year-olds regarding 'Crime, Recidivism, and Imprisonment.' The survey explored views on the current state of recidivism, which accounts for nearly half of criminal offenses, and the new 'imprisonment' (kokin-kei) system established in June 2025, which unified the traditional 'penal servitude' and 'imprisonment' for the first time in 118 years to support rehabilitation. Over 70% of respondents feel that crime is becoming more heinous or malicious. Half of the respondents feel that crime has become more familiar in recent years. While over 60% were unaware of the new imprisonment system, nearly 80% supported the idea of positioning prison labor as a means for rehabilitation and social reintegration.