Section 1  Major Offenses

  Table 1-4-1-1 shows the number of reported cases, crime rate, and clearance rate for major offenses in each country over 10 years from 1997 to 2006 (see Appendixes 1–7 and 1–9).
  In 2006, the number of reported cases and also the crime rate declined from the previous year in all five countries. The clearance rate in 2006 rose from the previous year in France, Germany, the U.K. and our country.
  Although an accurate comparison is difficult, as far as statistical data on major offenses are concerned, the number of reported cases and the crime rate for major offenses in Japan have been below the levels of the other four countries for those 10 years.

Table 1-4-1-1  Number of reported cases, crime rate, and clearance rate for major offenses in five countries (1997–2006)