Japan's Domestic Abuse Cases Rise

The number of reported cases of domestic violence in Japan soared to a record high last year - a sign that victims are overcoming cultural taboos that once forced them to stay silent, campaigners say.

Police received 16,888 complaints of incidents of abuse, a 17% increase on 2005. The national police agency said this included 87 murders and attempted murders, an increase of 16%.

Police have traditionally been reluctant to get involved in disputes between married couples, and domestic violence was not a criminal offence in Japan until October 2001. In May 2004 the law was revised to include psychological as well as physical abuse, but campaigners say it is failing countless victims because it applies only to married or divorced couples.

"When the law is reviewed again we want it to apply to unmarried couples, including those who live together and those who are dating but live apart," said Yaeko Horikoshi of the domestic violence helpline Tokyo Women's Plaza.

For years Japan failed to confront domestic violence; the crime is referred to in the media as "DV" because no satisfactory word exists in the Japanese language. Although the law protects abused women and their children, the country has a shortage of shelters and counselling services for those seeking refuge.