This statistical report was compiled under the supervision of the Traffic Bureau, the National Police Agency, Japan. The basic data for these road traffic accident statistics were mainly prepared, through the computer system of the National Police Agency. International Association of Traffic and Safety Sciences hopes this report, in conjunction with the White Paper on Traffic Safety in Japan, will contribute to the increased knowledge of readers about the traffic accident situation and measures. Traffic accidents in Japan have increased rapidly since the 1950s as the volume of automobile transportation has increased. In 1959, traffic accident fatalities exceeded 10,000 people for the first time. By 1970, the number had reached 16,765, signaling the enormity of a social problem that had come to be known as “traffic war.” In response to this situation, the Traffic Safety Policies Law was enacted in 1970 and comprehensive measures for preventing traffic accidents were implemented. These included increasing the number of officers to provide a stronger police presence on the road, introducing a system of violations, making improvements to the roads and the transportation environment, and stronger traffic safety activities at all levels of society. These efforts resulted in a rapid decline in traffic accidents that brought the number of fatalities down to 8,466 in 1979, roughly half its peak level. After bottoming out in the late 1970s, however, traffic accident fatalities rose again, exceeding 10,000 for eight consecutive years. Since falling below 10,000 in 1996, traffic accident fatalities have continued a downward trend. The number of fatalities for 2004 fell below 7,500, lower even than the year before when the number fell below 8,000 for the first time in the 46 years since 1957. (Author/publisher)
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