Japan is often described as an inclusive society, and yet the media reports record highs in crime and suicide figures. This book examines criminal justice in Japan, and questions whether Japan really is facing social malaise, or if the media are simply creating a 'moral panic'.

DAG LEONARDSEN is Professor of Sociology in the Faculty of Health and Social Studies, Lillehammer University College, Norway. His main areas of research are within crime in Japan, welfare sociology, political analysis and social impact assessment. He is the author of Japan as a Low-Crime Nation (Palgrave).