Domestic violence cases in Japan hit record high in FY2020

I guess couples really find out how much they like each other when they have to spend a lot of time together. Obviously, many couples don’t like each other as much as they should.

Now the famous ‘gaman’ needs to come forth!

These figures are for the time before Corona virus.They are from 2019 to March last year so we cannot blame the situation ob working from home.

Please reread the article! Fiscal 2020 ends in March of 2021. So yes you very well can blame the situation with problems associated with the virus!

The total number of cases stood at 132,355 in the period from April to November, four months before the fiscal year ends on March 31, surpassing the fiscal 2019 level by 13,000.

"The number of violent cases increased as people spent longer periods of time at home and got more stressed and worried about life," a Cabinet Office official said.

Usually what stresses me out is long hours at the office. I LOVED the month or so we had working from home and I LOVED spending time with my wife and kids.

Staying at home without working or getting gov help is stressful, but more home time is really what the people of this country need.

Reading this depressing news made me want to take my anger out on someone.  Lucky I don't have anyone at home to take it out on......

We all need to be patient. These are unprecedented times. My advice is to go jogging. Go mountain climbing. Get exercise as much as you can. Start a new business. Think big. Domestic violence is never the answer.

These figures are for the time before Corona virus.They are from 2019 to March last year so we cannot blame the situation ob working from home.

Monty- Agree with what you said, and can relate too.

To be honest, I miss Izakaya VERY MUCH too. I also miss going to the dojo, which was my main reason for coming to Japan decades ago when I was still young - studying Japanese martial arts. Not being able to go to the dojo or Izakaya is quite stressful for me, especially as I don't get to enjoy the benefit of working from home.

However, there are always solutions to problems that don't involve DV- I'm drinking only at home now, but still find time to enjoy the company of my family to many funny songs like this one:

Pants Drunk - Official Video - YouTube

my kids love listening to this song while pointing at me and saying that's Daddy (Its true)

One can be a fun drunk not an angry one.

When it comes to the Dojo, I'm doing a lot of bodybuilding at home now, and the BUDO has had to take a back seat. Yes, its stressful, but there are other ways to deal with stress than taking it out on someone defenseless.

I drink very little. About 2 drinks only. I enjoy being sober.

What makes me happy most?

Being able to exercise. Exercise not only makes people healthy but also Happy.

@Aly

but more home time is really what the people of this country need

Basically I agree with that.

The problem is that, e.g. in case of my Japanese Co- Workers, they don't want to spend time at home.

Many of my male co-workers complain about their wives.

But the Women too. Many are not happy in their marriage and private lives.

All of them want to work as long as possible to avoid going home early.

My company doesn't support home office, and 90% of my coworkers are happy about that.

You know that Japanese people are hard drinkers. That is how they stress out.

Going to Izakaya or Bar after work, drink with Co- workers and complain about the boss and the company.

But not only the men, also the women. Some of my female Co-workers are crazy drinkers.

But now many of the Izakaya and Bars closes earlier or doing some virus preventions. The situation in most Izakayas and Bars are not the same like before.

So the people feel not comfortable and have no valve to release stress.

So they bring this stress home and they get irritated by each single small thing...

with people more stressed and worried about life as the coronavirus pandemic forces them to spend more time at home

It's true that this kind of situations are now mandating us to stop a lot of things like a job, but I think that it surely won't be the reason to abuse other people. It's in the situation that we have to cooperate with each other, not abusing others causing them to feel depressed.

I recently found a brand-new rolling pin in one of the kitchen drawers. Should I be concerned?

She must be reading this article too and preparing for the worst. LOL

What? Why? Why beat on your spouse? This pandemic is not their fault nor were they the cause of your current situation!

@Aly

That is very nice!

I was in Shotokan Karate and Muay Thai for many many years.

Inspired by Bruce Lee and Shinichi Chiba, I came to Japan. (Also inspired by the 70s Godzilla and Yakuza movies).

But now I am getting old, which should not be an excuse, but my body aches in each part, so I just do easy work out.

But I am a big fan of the UFC.

Aly, Keep on with your Budo and keep your head up. I guess this year we can overcome the Virus and can go back to the Dojo and the Izakayas.

Thank you for your kind words and encouragement Monty!

Only a very few decades ago that was common practice and normal undiscussable education method in the majority of all homes...lol

Is there any data on how many divorces proceeding are underway? how many more people have go married? since the start of this virus last year, is there more or less than normal?

With people more stressed and worried about life as the corona virus pandemic forces them to spend more time at home

Here you have a country and a culture that expects each other to conform. Spouses get married barely knowing each other perhaps. Working together was probably great but living together they realized its not like dating, the wife leaves the job, she has to take the role as care giver for the family. The husbands income is now the family only source of income, prior to that she had an income. Money was not like it was when they were dating because the had each other income. The husbands works late comes home late, there is probably little or no interaction in a very small apartment or perhaps home. The wife is stressed because she has the kid(s) to look after all day. The husband is stressed because he doesn't like his work or his boss, what ever the case may be. The husband job now as him working from home and he can not go out and drink after work, the wife can't go meet her friends while the kids are in school. They both began to realize what are they to each other, so they start to fuss and argue. The kids are the innocent ones so one or the other starts to take their anger out on the weakest link in the house which is the child. Perhaps they both may have hidden partners and they are feeling the pressure from that because they can't see them. In the end the violence always turns to the weakest link which is the child or the wife if there is no children in the home. The corona virus has changed many people and altered their way of life, it happened so fast and people do not like to be forced to make changes they like to grow into them. With all that is going on the man feels he has to provide for his family and I am sure he wants to do that but the stress and the current environment puts him at rest, and the women they want to be care for they want to have comfort knowing they can care for their children. If the husband can not communicate to his wife and provide evidence that everything is OK that will set both off in a panic mode. She has the purse she knows, he just works and if she nags him about his job security during this time that is enough to drive him to drinking and causing perhaps mental and physical abuse from both partners.

. . . an activity which helps keep one civilized and mind on a positive path may be reading, yomu . . . newspaper, bestsellers, professional journals, etc. . . . .

I get that staying at home can be stressful. I get that you can get on each other's nerves. But there is never any excuse for being violent toward the person you share you life with. Those who do are the scum of the earth.

Relevant help for the struggling male from p.176 of 'Debrett's Guide for the Modern Gentleman':

She's endlessly fascinated by other people's relationships (solution: feign interest).

She expects you to know why she's upset (solution: pretend you do).

She will nag you (solution: ignore it).

Well, this is unfortunately expected to happen with more people at home, laid off from work and spending more time together in a confined space for long periods. I wouldn't be surprised if the general crime rate would also rise in 2021 as well, but I hope not.

The problem is that, e.g. in case of my Japanese Co- Workers, they don't want to spend time at home.

Many of my male co-workers complain about their wives.

But the Women too. Many are not happy in their marriage and private lives.

All of them want to work as long as possible to avoid going home early.

My company doesn't support home office, and 90% of my coworkers are happy about that.

You know that Japanese people are hard drinkers. That is how they stress out.

Going to Izakaya or Bar after work, drink with Co- workers and complain about the boss and the company.

But not only the men, also the women. Some of my female Co-workers are crazy drinkers.

But now many of the Izakaya and Bars closes earlier or doing some virus preventions. The situation in most Izakayas and Bars are not the same like before.

So the people feel not comfortable and have no valve to release stress.

So they bring this stress home and they get irritated by each single small thing...

Very good point. And this does make me wonder why people start dating, living together or get married in the first place if you feel that your partner isn't suitable.

@Monty

It's really sad that Japanese people have to drink in order to release their anger and frustration with that be the company they work for or their home life situation.

I would recommend they find a more suitable outlet such as exercising or focusing on a new interest or hobby.

It seems a cop out, and a destructive one at that, when an individual needs to drink all the time in order to make themselves feel adequate.

I also believe this to be the reason behind an increase in domestic violence due to its effect on one's mental stability.

Alcohol in itself is debilitating and takes its toll on the body in many ways. Japanese on the whole have low self esteem and turn to alcohol as a crutch for all their problems.

Domestic violence cases in Japan hit record high in FY2020

Nothing to do will all those lockdowns and closures, eh? Those crimes have also gone up in other countries too, much more so where the lockdowns were more drastic than in Japan.

What do politicians expect when they look people in their homes, make them paranoid with danger talk and prohibit socializing?