Japan ranked 5th most peaceful country in world

What makes a country peaceful? Journalist Akira Ikegami analyzes the “Global Peace Index” survey of 140 countries and regions which the Economist Intelligence Unit released in March.

According to the survey, Japan is ranked the 5th most peaceful country, following Iceland, Denmark, Norway and New Zealand. Japan is the only Asian country which is ranked in the top 20. The least peaceful country in the world right is Iraq, followed by Somalia, Sudan and Afghanistan.

The factors considered in the survey are: the number of internal and external conflicts, victims of organized crimes and number of refugees from 2000 to 2006. The frequency of riots, terrorism and availability of weapons as well as human rights violations and political stability are also considered. In addition, the number of police officers, prison population and murder cases per 100,000 population are factors.

People in Japan recently say they feel the number of serious crimes has been increasing. But it isn’t really. According to a survey by the National Police Agency in 2006, the number of “confirmed murder cases” marked the lowest since 1945. The number of murders in the 1960s was double today’s rate.

So what makes people feel like that? One reason is the increase of news programs and media. People are exposed daily to murder news, which makes it look like the murder rate is going up.

Why isn’t Japan No. 1 in the ranking? The survey explains it is because Japan does not yet have good relationships with China and North Korea. If these relationships go well, Japan might get the No. 1 spot.

What about the United States? The U.S. was ranked 97th in the survey, while China was 67th. The U.S. is the least peaceful country among developed countries. Because the survey was conducted before the riots in China, China may be ranked lower next time.

Why is the U.S. ranked so low? This is because of its continuing military campaign in Iraq and the high possibility of a terrorist attack on the mainland. In addition, the number of prisoners per population is the largest in the world. The high murder rate and availability of guns are also factors in America’s ranking.

To conclude, the definition of a “peaceful” country is one that never goes to war, never has riots, political instability and many murders, but protects human rights and provides public security with a small number of police officers. (Translated By Taro Fujimoto)

Latest 15 of 38 Total Comments Show All

UnagiDon at 02:53 AM JST - 7th July

According to a survey by the National Police Agency in 2006, the number of “confirmed murder cases” marked the lowest since 1945. The number of murders in the 1960s was double today’s rate.

Just like in any other country, when crime rates do go down, the media reports the opposite cuz it sells papers and Adsense. Japan is a pretty peaceful place, or at least it is compared to most others.
meija at 10:17 AM JST - 7th July

Seems like a fair enough list. Those countries in war zones or with high crime rates at the bottom, those with relatively safe domestic situations at the top. It's not a survey based on rights, freedoms or anything like that, just on safety.

As for Japan and crime reporting, like most countries these days, the media like to over-sensationalise and, when there is a murder, run with the story every night for a up to a week. If you follow that pattern, you'd only need 25 or so murders a year in a country of around 130 million to have the media reporting on them every other day. At least countries like Japan, Australia, New Zealand and the other top 30 or so on the list are still at the stage that any murder is big news, unlike some countries where murder is common enough that only the big ones get reported.
isshikitombi at 02:13 PM JST - 7th July

*******It would be of great interest to me to see each of the fifty US states represented individually, then compared to the other countries of the world, including Japan. Why? Well, because many of the US states have populations larger than many countries, and because having visited 47 of the 50 I believe there are wide differences. After the Virginia Tech shooting, Newsweek published a map of the United States, with each state color coded into one of five colors according to the incidents of gun-related homicides. If my memory is correct, six states--Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York and Hawaii came out in the most peaceful group. The rates of gun-related homicides were considerably worse in the most unpeaceful group. I'm from one of those most peaceful states, though now living in Japan, and feel just as safe and peaceful there as I do in Japan!
serindipity at 11:23 AM JST - 8th July

Possibly the murder rate has dropped in Japan over the last thirty years or so, however, the obscurity of murders in Japan are definitely increasing.
hairforest at 06:02 PM JST - 8th July

serendipity,

Please!"..the obscurity of murders in Japan are definitely increasing." What does that mean?

How about facts and data to support arguments? Without these, and all their warts, it's all just conjecture and opinion... Basically worthless.
usaletterhead at 06:31 AM JST - 9th July

In today's era that is not hard to earn.
helloklitty at 12:57 PM JST - 10th July

Serendipity,

Do you mean bizarreness? Yeah, I think so, too. Another example of the Japanese trying to be like the West.

The peacefulness of Japan is often interrupted by a variety of noises. I especially hate the old people who walk around with transistor radios and don't use earphones. Election time is not so peaceful.

Of course, the topic is murder. Although the rate is low, the desire to commit murder is probably the same as anywhere else. I think they just don't know how. It's a little tougher here with so many witnesses and a shortage of good weapons.
otis123 at 06:21 AM JST - 11th July

Homogenous nations for the win!
bamboohat at 11:06 AM JST - 12th July

Japan is peaceful only becase they tried their hand at war and global domination and failed miserably. Japan is peaceful not because they chose to be peaceful, rather, they valiantly attempted to be brutal and savage and murderous on a large scale, but they sucked really bad at it, and got their collective behinds handed to them.

Nevertheless, the end result is Japan is peaceful country to live in, and hopefully it'll stay that way.
JoeBigs at 11:14 AM JST - 12th July

I dont know about you folks, but I would rather live in Japan than in any other Nation......Yes I do live here, and I feel good that my family is safer here than in the US or any other nation.

bamboohat, dont think it was world domination more like regional domination.
Rekishika at 05:24 PM JST - 12th July

Ranking 5th in this list, with only having to look up to countries with a long-standing peaceful tradition like Iceland and Norway, is certainly a very good achievement. It is difficult to say if Japan can work it's way up still further, the conditions are less in favour than with the comptitors on top of the list, and they truly are formidable competitors, countries like Iceland traditionally scoring high across the board in peace, human rights, social policies and more pleasant things. Still, the challenge is there, and worthy of trying.
spudman at 08:19 AM JST - 14th July

so i guess this means Japan Today finally accepts that Oceania isn't part of Asia. Glad to see the change in editorial attitude. Thanks JT. I have written about 10 times in the past that Australia and New Zealand news should be in the world section and not the Asia section but got the cold shoulder.

Moderator: We don't have an Asia section.
westurn at 07:29 AM JST - 15th July

"Why is the U.S. ranked so low?"

"the high possibility of a terrorist attack on the mainland.2

Huh ??? For example ???

"In addition, the number of prisoners per population is the largest in the world."

Maybe if the US did like Japan and just refused to investigate thousands of "unnatural deaths" a year, their ranking might rise accordingly !

"availability of guns are also factors in America’s ranking."

Yet nations with "mandatory gun ownership" laws ranked in the top 10 !

Another bogus survey/study to get the American bashers something to crow about... Nothing but flawed thinking !
westurn at 06:55 AM JST - 16th July

BTW... Shouldn't any country that depends on the USA for it's "National Security" be ranked in a similar position with them ? I mean how can you logically argue that Japan is way more peaceful than the US when it takes advantage of US policies around the world... policies that are deemed agressive by this study. I would add Korea, Canada, and much of Europe (as they benefit considerably from the US military presence there !

just another crock JT article, good to see the masses have skipped this one.
roomtemperature at 05:47 PM JST - 17th July

"BTW... Shouldn't any country that depends on the USA for it's "National Security" be ranked in a similar position with them ?"

You're right. Japan would have been ranked higher and be a safer country if those Americans who provide that so-called "security" where not here.

BTW..."ranked in a similar position with them".......thank you for agreeing with the article...;)