Estimated 350,000 people in Japan have used cocaine: Study
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Those in their 40s were the largest cohort to have previously used cocaine.
PHOTO: REUTERS
- An estimated 350,000 people in Japan aged 15-64 have used cocaine, with marijuana being the most used illegal drug.
- Police actions against cocaine cases rose to 804 in 2025, with many users accessing drugs via social media.
- Those in their 40s are the largest cocaine user group, while people in their 20s are most often solicited; fentanyl abuse remains very low in Japan.
AI generated
TOKYO – Approximately 350,000 people in Japan between the ages of 15 and 64 are believed to have used cocaine, the largest estimate since the current research method was introduced in 2007, a government study showed on July 2.
A nationwide survey sent out by the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare in 2025 showed 0.4 per cent of respondents had admitted to cocaine use. The results come as police crackdowns on cocaine cases hit a record high in 2025.
According to the study, the most used illegal drug was marijuana at 1.6 per cent, translating to an estimated 1.41 million people on a population basis.
“Stimulants used to be mainstream, but the trend is shifting toward marijuana and cocaine, as in Europe and the United States,” said Takuya Shimane, head researcher at the National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, highlighting the necessity of relapse prevention measures.
The health ministry’s research group sent surveys to 5,000 people selected from the basic resident register between October and December 2025, and received 3,156 valid responses. Actual drug use may be higher since usage history is self-reported.
The survey results showed 0.5 per cent of men had used cocaine at least once in the past, while 0.3 per cent of women answered similarly. This is equivalent to about 210,000 men and 140,000 women, respectively.
By age, those in their 40s were the largest cohort to have previously used the drug at 0.7 per cent, the equivalent of approximately 130,000 people.
According to the National Police Agency, police took action against 804 people in relation to cocaine use in 2025, up 218 from a year earlier. Many are believed to have gained access to the drug through social media.
Meanwhile, respondents in their 20s were the largest group to have been solicited at 1.2 per cent, or an estimated 140,000 people. Men were more likely to be offered marijuana and stimulants, while women were approached more for cocaine.
Regarding fentanyl, an opioid drug that has led to a crisis in the US, just two of the respondents said they had abused the drug that had been prescribed to them.
“(Fentanyl) is sometimes used for treatments in Japan, but its distribution has been properly controlled,” said Shimane. KYODO NEWS