【Aging, safety net and fiscal crisis in Japan】No.321:The number of missing people has decreased during the COVID-19 pandemic

According to a report released by the National Police Agency in June 2021, the number of missing people in 2020 was 77,022, which is the lowest figure since the National Police Agency began collecting these data in 1956 (Figure 1). The decrease of 9,911 from 86,933 in 2019 is due to the decrease in the number of people missing for reasons other than dementia (from 69,454 in 2019 to 59,457 in 2020). This is likely because people have refrained from social activities and have spent more time at home during the COVID-19 pandemic.

While the number of missing people was the lowest ever, the number of people missing due to dementia reached a record high of 17,565 in 2020. Figure 2 shows the number of missing people per 100,000 by age group. The number in the group of people under 80 years old decreased in 2020 compared to 2016, but increased among people aged 80 years and older (from 97.5 in 2016 to 106.7 in 2020). This is consistent with the increased probability of dementia in people over the age of 80 years.

Figure 1: Number of missing people

Source: National Police Agency

Figure 2: Number of missing people per 100,000 by age group

Source: National Police Agency