Shoplifting by foreigners on the rise in Japan - drugstores becoming main target

Japanese drugstores are facing a growing challenge: organized shoplifting by foreign nationals.

Drugstores offer a wide range of items, with cosmetics and toiletries offered alongside pharmacy products services.

As many items in drugstores are small and easily concealable, this makes them particularly vulnerable to those seeking to shoplift.

Data from the National Police Agency reveals a stark discrepancy in the scale and impact of shoplifting incidents involving foreign nationals compared to Japanese citizens.

Japanese citizens are statistically less likely to shoplift than foreign tourists

While the average loss per shoplifting incident by Japanese citizens is relatively low, the figures for foreign nationals are alarmingly high.

Foreign tourists, in particular, pose a significant threat, with the average damage per incident exceeding 88,000 yen.

This indicates that organized groups are likely involved, targeting high-value items such as cosmetics and pharmaceuticals.

The average of items stolen from drugstores by foreign tourists far exceeds that of Japanese nationals

These criminal groups often employ sophisticated tactics, such as “distraction techniques” where multiple individuals work together to divert the attention of store staff while others discreetly steal merchandise.

This surge in shoplifting by foreign nationals has prompted the National Police Agency to urge drugstore chains to implement robust security measures.

The recommended measures include:

Enhanced product security: Displaying high-value items in secure locations and under close surveillance.
Increased security measures: Installing additional security cameras, implementing electronic security gates, and bolstering in-store security personnel.
Improved reporting procedures: Encouraging store staff to promptly report suspicious activity to law enforcement authorities.

Drugstores in Japan are being encouraged to increase security measures

With a record number of foreign visitors passing through Japan’s airports in the last year, there has been an increase in the number of incidents involving tourists that have led to some Japanese citizens questioning whether the current tourism boom causes more harm than good to Japan’s society.

These latest statistics are unlikely to help to calm concerns regarding overtourism and will unfortunately further reinforce negative stereotypes held by some citizens when it comes to foreign tourists in Japan.