Is Tokyo Safe? A Data-Driven Answer
We analyzed 7 years of official crime data from the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department across 3,110 neighborhoods to give you a definitive, data-backed answer.
The Short Answer
Yes, Tokyo is extremely safe. It is consistently ranked among the safest major cities in the world. In 2024, the 23 special wards recorded 70,081 total crimes across a population of over 9.7 million residents. The vast majority of these (62.1%) are non-violent theft — primarily bicycle theft and shoplifting. Violent crime is exceptionally rare: serious crimes like robbery account for just 1.2% of all incidents.
Crime has decreased 18.3% since 2018, continuing a long-term downward trend that makes Tokyo safer than ever.
Crime Trends in Tokyo (2018–2024)
Year-over-year crime totals across all 23 special wards, based on official Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department data.
| Year | Total | Serious | Assault | Burglary | Theft | YoY |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 85,790 | 535 | 6,837 | 3,197 | 55,680 | — |
| 2019 | 78,292 | 523 | 6,146 | 2,973 | 52,510 | -8.7% |
| 2020 | 61,998 | 523 | 5,166 | 2,118 | 38,984 | -20.8% |
| 2021 | 57,089 | 467 | 4,903 | 1,615 | 34,477 | -7.9% |
| 2022 | 59,392 | 474 | 5,462 | 1,496 | 36,882 | +4.0% |
| 2023 | 65,874 | 605 | 5,890 | 1,374 | 42,397 | +10.9% |
| 2024 | 70,081 | 821 | 6,429 | 1,594 | 43,493 | +6.4% |
What Kind of Crimes Happen in Tokyo?
Breakdown of all 70,081 reported crimes in Tokyo's 23 special wards (2024).
Safest & Least Safe Wards in Tokyo
The 23 special wards ranked by average neighborhood crime rate (per 1,000 residents, 2024).
Does Safety Affect Property Prices?
Median used-condo (中古マンション) transaction prices from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT) compared with crime rates across all 23 special wards.
| # | Ward | Crime Rate/1K | Grade | Median Condo Price | Transactions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suginami杉並区 | 4.4 | A | ¥31.0M(¥3100万) | 614 |
| 2 | Setagaya世田谷区 | 4.8 | A | ¥50.0M(¥5000万) | 875 |
| 3 | Nerima練馬区 | 4.9 | A | ¥30.0M(¥3000万) | 762 |
| 4 | Ota大田区 | 5.5 | B | ¥27.0M(¥2700万) | 1,238 |
| 5 | Meguro目黒区 | 5.7 | B | ¥55.0M(¥5500万) | 376 |
| 6 | Shinagawa品川区 | 5.8 | B | ¥40.0M(¥4000万) | 818 |
| 7 | Itabashi板橋区 | 5.9 | B | ¥27.0M(¥2700万) | 933 |
| 8 | Edogawa江戸川区 | 6 | B | ¥38.0M(¥3800万) | 356 |
| 9 | Nakano中野区 | 6 | B | ¥37.0M(¥3700万) | 396 |
| 10 | Arakawa荒川区 | 6.3 | B | ¥37.0M(¥3700万) | 264 |
| 11 | Katsushika葛飾区 | 6.5 | B | ¥26.0M(¥2600万) | 449 |
| 12 | Kita北区 | 6.5 | B | ¥32.0M(¥3200万) | 457 |
| 13 | Adachi足立区 | 7 | B | ¥27.0M(¥2700万) | 625 |
| 14 | Bunkyo文京区 | 7.2 | B | ¥43.0M(¥4300万) | 487 |
| 15 | Koto江東区 | 9 | B | ¥42.0M(¥4200万) | 1,192 |
| 16 | Sumida墨田区 | 11.2 | C | ¥31.0M(¥3100万) | 687 |
| 17 | Minato港区 | 24.9 | D | ¥86.0M(¥8600万) | 794 |
| 18 | Taito台東区 | 30.3 | D | ¥35.0M(¥3500万) | 541 |
| 19 | Toshima豊島区 | 30.9 | D | ¥32.0M(¥3200万) | 505 |
| 20 | Chuo中央区 | 32.8 | D | ¥66.0M(¥6600万) | 690 |
| 21 | Shibuya渋谷区 | 38.3 | D | ¥55.0M(¥5500万) | 488 |
| 22 | Chiyoda千代田区 | 51.1 | F | ¥49.0M(¥4900万) | 225 |
| 23 | Shinjuku新宿区 | 77.2 | F | ¥39.0M(¥3900万) | 835 |
Key insight: In Tokyo, safety and property prices don't always correlate directly. Some of the safest residential wards have moderate prices, while high-crime wards like Shibuya and Shinjuku command premium prices due to commercial demand. For expats seeking both safety and value, residential wards in the outer ring often offer the best combination.
Property data: MLIT REINFOLIB API (不動産情報ライブラリ), 2024 used-condo transactions (取引価格). Median calculated from 14,607 transactions.
Safety Tips for Foreigners in Tokyo
Register your bicycle
Bicycle theft is one of the most common crimes. Always register your bike (防犯登録) and use a sturdy lock. Police routinely check registration — riding an unregistered bike can lead to questioning.
Be aware of natural disasters
Tokyo's biggest safety risks are earthquakes and typhoons, not crime. Download disaster apps (Safety Tips by MLIT, NHK World), know your nearest evacuation area, and keep an emergency kit.
Watch for scams in entertainment districts
In Kabukicho and Roppongi, touts may try to lure you into overpriced bars. Avoid following strangers into unfamiliar establishments. If targeted, walk away firmly.
Use women-only train cars
Available on most lines during morning rush. Marked with pink signs. While groping incidents are declining, these cars provide extra peace of mind.
Keep valuables secure on trains
Pickpocketing is rare but not unheard of on crowded trains. Keep bags zipped and phones secure, especially in tourist-heavy areas.
Know the emergency numbers
Police: 110. Fire/Ambulance: 119. English-language police consultation: #9110. Tokyo English Life Line: 03-5774-0992.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Is Tokyo safe at night?
- Yes. Tokyo is one of the safest major cities in the world at night. Well-lit streets, 24-hour convenience stores, and efficient public transit make most areas safe even late at night. Exercise normal precautions in entertainment districts like Kabukicho (Shinjuku) and Roppongi, where drink-related scams can target tourists.
- Is Tokyo safe for women?
- Tokyo is generally very safe for women. Violent crime rates are extremely low. However, groping on crowded trains (chikan) is a known issue — women-only train cars are available during rush hours on most lines. Be cautious in crowded entertainment districts late at night.
- What is the crime rate in Tokyo?
- In 2024, Tokyo's 23 special wards recorded 70,081 total crimes across 3,110 neighborhoods. The most common crimes are theft (62.1% of all incidents), primarily bicycle theft and shoplifting. Violent crime is rare.
- Is Tokyo safer than New York or London?
- Significantly. Tokyo's murder rate is approximately 0.4 per 100,000 residents, compared to roughly 5.0 in New York and 1.5 in London. Total crime rates are similarly far lower. Most crimes in Tokyo are non-violent property offenses like bicycle theft.
- Which areas of Tokyo should I avoid?
- No area of Tokyo is truly dangerous by international standards. Areas with higher crime rates like Shinjuku and Chiyoda still have low absolute crime levels. Entertainment districts (Kabukicho, Roppongi) require more awareness at night, but violent crime is rare even there.
- What are the most common crimes in Tokyo?
- Theft accounts for 62.1% of all reported crimes in Tokyo (2024), dominated by bicycle theft and shoplifting. Assault makes up 9.2%, burglary 2.3%, and serious crimes (robbery) just 1.2%. Tokyo is overwhelmingly a city of petty property crime, not violent crime.
Explore Tokyo Safety Data
Dive deeper into neighborhood-level crime data. View safety scores, yearly trends, and detailed breakdowns for every area in Tokyo.
Methodology & Sources
All crime data comes from the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department (警視庁) annual crime statistics (認知件数), covering reported criminal offenses at the neighborhood level (町丁目). We aggregate data from all 3,110 neighborhoods across the 23 special wards.
Population data is from the 2020 National Census (国勢調査) by the Statistics Bureau of Japan. Per-capita rates use this population as the denominator.
Crime categories are defined by the National Police Agency classification system: serious crimes (凶悪犯), assault (粗暴犯), burglary (侵入窃盗), theft (非侵入窃盗), and other (その他).
Property price data comes from the MLIT REINFOLIB API (不動産情報ライブラリ), the official real estate transaction database operated by Japan's Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism. Median prices are calculated from used-condo (中古マンション) transactions reported in 2024.