Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda held the 19th Ministerial Meeting Concerning Measures Against Crime at the Prime Minister's Office.

Discussion took place on the progress of various anti-crime measures and other topics, and the general measures to prevent repeat offenses were decided.

Based on the discussion, the Prime Minister said, "The public order of Japan is improving, as seen by the decrease in the number of criminal offense cases recognized by the police for nine consecutive years. On the other hand, crimes committed by persons released from prisons continue unremittingly. Repeat offenders, accounting for roughly 30% of the total offenders, commit about 60% of all crimes. Thus, prevention of repeat offenses is a prioritized issue in measures against crime.
The general measures decided today include a numeric target of reducing the ratio of those who are confined in prison again within two years from release by 20% or more, which is targeted to be achieved ten years from now, through focused efforts in ensuring places for them to live and jobs after being released from prison.
I would like to ask all ministers to put their effort into securely promoting various anti-crime measures and ensuring the safety and assurance of the people."