Fig. IV-11 shows trends in final dispositions on charges against foreigners(here excluding traffic professional negligence and Road Traffic Law violations)by public prosecutors offices over the last10years(see Appendix IV-5 ). The numbers of prosecutions and non-prosecutions have both increased steadily since 1997.

Fig. IV-11 Trends in Number of Foreigners Finally Disposed by Public Prosecutors Offices(1990-1999)

  Table IV-2 shows the number of foreigners finally disposed by public prosecutors offices over the last three years, by offense.

Table IV-2 Number of Foreigners Finally Disposed by Public Prosecutors Offices, by Offense(1997-1999)

  In 1999,21,605foreigners were finally disposed by public prosecutors offices(up1.1%from the previous year), including16,021visiting foreigners(up0.1%). (For the purpose of this subsection, "visiting foreigners"refers to foreigners staying in Japan except permanent residents, special permanent residents, those connected with U. S. forces serving in Japan, and those whose status is unknown. )Visiting foreigners accounted for4.4%of foreigners and74.2%of cases involving foreigners finally disposed by public prosecutors offices.
  By offense, visiting foreigners were most frequently disposed for larceny among penal code offenses(accounting for2.2%of the total number of persons finally disposed for this offense), followed by bodily injury(including assault and unlawful assembly with dangerous weapons;1.4%)and robbery(7.7%). As regards special law offenses, Immigration Control Law violations were most prevalent among visiting foreigners(88.7%), followed by Stimulant Drug Control Law violations(3.0%), Alien Registration Law violations(95.2%)and Cannabis Control Law violations(12.3%).
  Table IV-3 compares final dispositions by public prosecutors offices in1999between cases involving visiting foreigners and all cases disposed by the offices.
  For penal code offenses, the prosecution rate for visiting foreigners is higher than that of the total number of persons disposed, but the latter is higher for special law offenses.

Table IV-3 Final Dispositions by Public Prosecutors Offices on Cases Involving Visiting Foreigners, and Rates of Prosecution and Suspended Prosecution(1999)