Japanese hacker arrests doubled in 2007

GROWTH : Japanese hacker arrests doubled in 2007

by Andy Carvell

November 11, 2008

http://www.geek.com/articles/news/japanese-hacker-arrests-doubled-in-2007-20081111/

In Japan, where crime is generally very low, computer crime appears to be booming. The Japanese Ministry of Justice have released figures showing that arrests relating to unauthorized access of computers doubled between 2006 and 2007.

A white paper released by the ministry shows that there were 1,442 arrests for computer access violations in 2007, up from 703 in 2006. Arrests for crimes involving computers totalled 3,918 in 2007, up 9% on 2006. Of this 3,918, 165 were for copyright violations (up 11% on the previous year), 192 for child pornography (down 24%), though arrests for child prostitutes soliciting or solicited online rose 19% from 463 to 551.

These figures will not include the case of the Japanese woman who was recently arrested on suspicion of hacking her virtual husband’s Maple Story MMO account in a fit of rage after he ‘divorced’ her in the virtual world.

Given these trends, it seems the Japanese law enforcement agencies will need to keep computer crime squarely in their sights.