Study Estimates 350,000 People in Japan Have Used Cocaine

About 350,000 people in Japan between the ages of 15 and 64 are estimated to have used cocaine, the highest estimate since the current research methodology was introduced in 2007, according to a government study reported by Kyodo News.

A government survey indicates cocaine use in Japan has reached its highest estimated level since 2007.

A nationwide survey conducted by Japan's Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare in 2025 found that 0.4 percent of respondents admitted to having used cocaine.

The study comes as police crackdowns on cocaine-related offenses reached a record high in 2025.

Marijuana remained the most commonly used illegal drug, with 1.6 percent of respondents reporting use—equivalent to an estimated 1.41 million people nationwide.

"Stimulants used to be mainstream, but the trend is shifting toward marijuana and cocaine, as in Europe and the US," said Takuya Shimane, head researcher at the National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry.

Researchers mailed surveys to 5,000 randomly selected residents, receiving 3,156 valid responses. They cautioned that actual drug use may be higher because responses were self-reported.

The survey found that 0.5 percent of men and 0.3 percent of women reported having used cocaine at least once. People in their 40s accounted for the highest proportion of users.

According to the National Police Agency, authorities took action against 804 people in cocaine-related cases in 2025, up 218 from the previous year.