TOKYO (TR) – An estimated 350,000 people in Japan have used cocaine, marking the highest figure on record since modern tracking began in 2007, according to a 2025 nationwide survey by the health ministry, reports Kyodo News (July 2).
The statistic, representing 0.4 percent of the population aged 15 to 64, aligns with a surge in law enforcement action. Police also recorded an all-time high in cocaine-related busts in 2025, underscoring what authorities fear is a nationwide epidemic of the illicit powder.
While stimulant drugs (kakuseizai) such as methamphetamine have traditionally dominated Japan’s criminal underworld, the nation’s drug habits are shifting. Marijuana remains the most widely abused illegal narcotic in the country, boasting an estimated 1.41 million users, or 1.6 percent of the demographic.
Takuya Shimane, a research director at the National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry who led the study, warned of the changing landscape.
“In the past, methamphetamine was the primary focus, but marijuana and cocaine are now becoming mainstream, similar to trends in Europe and the United States,” Shimane analyzed. He stressed that future government policies must prioritize rehabilitation to prevent repeat offenses.
The research team conducted the survey between October and December 2025, mailing questionnaires to 5,000 randomly selected residents from the Basic Resident Register. A total of 3,156 valid responses were collected. However, because the data relies on self-reporting, experts note the true number of illicit drug users is likely even higher.
Breaking down the cocaine figures by gender, 0.5 percent of men admitted to past use (an estimated 210,000 people), compared to 0.3 percent of women (roughly 140,000 people).
