The overall crime rate is low by North American and West European standards and has shown a general decline since the mid-1960s.
Problems of particular concern are those associated with a modern industrialized nation, including juvenile delinquency, traffic control, and white-collar crime.
Japan's police are an apolitical body under the general supervision of independent agencies, free of direct central government executive control (cf.
While police are well-trained, they generally have little practical experience outside of writing tickets or answering an occasional domestic dispute.
Bail is rarely granted during this time, and only during extreme mitigating circumstances, as when a child or elder relative depends on the suspect for daily care.