Photo/Illutration The National Police Agency, pictured, announces that reports of child abuse increased for the 19th consecutive year. (Asahi Shimbun file photo)

A record number of suspected child abuse cases, 122,806 in total, were reported to child welfare centers by police in 2023, according to the National Police Agency.

That figure rose 6.1 percent from the previous year, according to preliminary figures released on Feb. 8.

The number of reports concerning abuse of children under 18 has risen consistently since 2004, when record-keeping began.

The NPA said the steady increase in reporting reflects greater public awareness and that neighbors are more willing to report suspected abuse to the authorities.

Psychological abuse, including domestic violence witnessed by children, accounted for more than 70 percent of the overall cases in 2023, with 90,761 children experiencing this type of abuse, up 6.8 percent from the previous year.

Physical abuse was the second most common type, with 21,520 cases, up 4.2 percent, followed by neglect with 10,205 cases, up 4.1 percent.

Cases of sexual abuse fell slightly, by 0.6 percent, to 320.

The number of cases in which parents and caretakers were arrested or under police investigation for child abuse rose 9.4 percent to 2,385, about five times the number in 2013. Such cases have risen consistently since that year.

Of those, physical abuse accounted for the most cases at 1,903, up 10.8 percent, followed by sexual abuse at 372, up 1.9 percent.

The NPA also reported 88,619 cases, up 4.9 percent, in which victims of domestic violence by their spouses or partners sought help from the authorities. That number increased for the 20th consecutive year.

This resulted in 8,636 arrests or police investigations, up 1.2 percent from the previous year.

There were also 19,843 cases, up 3.7 percent, where victims of stalking sought help from the authorities, leading to a total of 2,789 arrests or police investigations.

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