The Escalating Scam Epidemic in Japan: Scale, Psychology, and Regional Patterns with Ground Survey Evidence

This study examines Japan’s escalating fraud epidemic, synthesizing National Police Agency (NPA) statistics, academic surveys (e.g., Hiroshima University’s 11,218 respondents), and Buddhist monk counseling insights. Fraud losses reached ¥307.5 billion ($2.03 billion USD) in 2024, equivalent to 0.5% of GDP, signaling significant economic impact . Elderly populations (69.3% of cases, 29% of population) face disproportionate risk due to cultural exploitation of social harmony (wa) and filial piety . Tokuryū networks and AI deepfakes (243% rise) drive a 281% surge in social media fraud . Underreporting (87% of victims) exacerbates the crisis, fueled by shame and isolation . This analysis informs my SwarmMind project (94.1% scam detection accuracy), enhancing AI/NLP applications for fraud prevention in Japan.Recommendations include cognitive screening, cultural sensitivity training, and expanded monk networks. Multi-sector interventions are critical to protect vulnerable populations while preserving cultural values.Keywords: fraud epidemic, Japan, elderly vulnerability, tokuryū, scam psychology, social isolation, Buddhist monk support, AI scams, financial crime, demographic analysis,