The principal data concerning special law offenses in 1999 are as follows:
Principal data for 1999 (special law offenses)
    New cases*  (ratio)   (year-on-year change)
[1]  Road Traffic Law violations  1,016,622  (88.6%)  (-1,733)
[2]  Vehicle Parking Spaces Law violations  38,804  (3.4%)  (-1,068)
[3]  Stimulant Drug Control Law violations  25,151  (2.2%)  (+2,932)
[4]  Immigration Control Law violations  9,391   (0.8%)  (?522)
[5]  Poisonous and Deleterious Substances Control Law violations 7,038   (0.6%)  (-670)
[6]  Minor Offense Law violations  6,026  (0.5%)  (+1,176)
[7]  Public Offices Election Law violations  5,223   (0.5%)  (+3,595)
[8]  Firearms and Swords Control Law violations  3,965   (0.3%)  (?234)
[9]  Road Trucking Vehicle Law violations  3,141   (0.3%)  (+123)
[10]  Wastes Disposal violations  2,800   (0.2%)  (+246)
  Others  29,234  (2.5%)
  Total  1,147,395  (100.0%)  (+3,681)
(Source: Annual Report of Statistics on Prosecution)
* New cases = number of persons newly received by public prosecutors' offices
  The above data cover the ten most common special law offenses(including violations of ordinances)for which persons were newly received by public prosecutors'offices(not including returnees, such as persons subject to renewed investigation following transfer between public prosecutors'offices, remittal from a Family Court, or a decision to drop charges;the same also applies below). The number of persons newly received for Road Traffic Law violations(not including violations subject to a system of traffic offense notification and for which a penalty has already been paid)and Vehicle Parking Spaces Law violations account for 92.0% of the total number of persons newly received by public prosecutors'offices for special law offenses, and 48.4% of all offenses including penal code offenses.
  Fig. I-10 shows trends in the number of special law offenses and the number of persons newly received by public prosecutors'offices for special law offenses, excluding road traffic violations.
  The number of persons newly received for special law offenses reached an all-time high of 5,140,389 in 1965, reflecting a sharp increase in road traffic violations from the early 1950's to the early 1960's. But subsequently the figure fell sharply, and has been on a par at around1million since 1988.
  Special law offenses, excluding road traffic violations, reached a peak of 860, 160 persons in 1949, reflecting a sharp increase in violations of the Food Management Law and other economic control legislation in the period of instability after the war. However, the number fell off sharply thereafter, and has been decreasing very gradually, while remaining around the 100,000 mark, since the mid-1950's. Since 1992 it has fluctuated between around 80,000 and 100,000.

Fig. I-10 Trends in the number of persons newly received by public prosecutors'offices for special law offenses (1949-1999)

  Fig.1-11 shows component ratios of special law offenses excluding traffic-related offenses within the number of persons newly received by public prosecutors'offices in 1999. These are divided into special law offenses related to drugs, foreigners, public security, public morals, the environment, labor, economy, elections, and others, and violations of ordinances. Comparing the respective ratios with those for the previous year, drug-related offenses retain first place, despite falling by2.1points, and public security-related offenses replaced foreigner-related offenses for2nd place.

Fig.1-11 Component ratios of persons newly received by public prosecutors'offices for special law offenses excluding traffic-related offenses (1999)