According to data released on Thursday, police detained 1,341 individuals for violations of the law, reflecting a sharp 24.1 per cent increase – or an additional 260 cases – compared to 2023, the National Police Agency (NPA) reported.
Restraining orders issued under the law surpassed 2,000 for the first time, reaching 2,415, a 23 per cent increase from the previous year. Notably, around 60 per cent of these cases were emergency orders issued in urgent situations.
Separately, police investigated 1,743 stalking-related crimes under other laws, including 378 home intrusions, 187 instances of intimidation and 122 assaults, according to The Mainichi newspaper.
The data also included 63 investigations into rape and 11 for attempted murder.
Nationwide, police recorded 19,657 stalking reports last year, a figure nearly unchanged from 2023. However, arrests related to violations of restraining orders increased to 233.
Around 8 per cent of these arrests involved repeat offenders, leading authorities to persist in monitoring the conditions of offenders while encouraging them to pursue treatment or counselling at healthcare facilities. Officers now make regular calls or home visits to all individuals under restraining orders to assess the offender’s obsession with the victim.
