Japan's seizure of illegal drugs in 2025 tops 3 tons

Keep up the good work against the narcos. Nothing good comes out of drugs.

It's vicious cycle, the more is getting restricted the more the price will increase, the more people try to get into that commodity to Japan.

https://japannews.yomiuri.co.jp/society/crime-courts/20250814-275436/

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https://japantoday.com/category/crime/japanese-police-arrest-canadian-in-smuggling-of-huge-amount-of-stimulants-hidden-in-machinery

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Culprits just will try creative way.

I'm curious as to where much of these drug products are coming from, as well as the trafficking routes which weren't mentioned in the article.

No fentanyl, heroin, or tranq. That's good news. Those much more harmful drugs or devastating the US, Canada and some other countries.

It seems that if they legalized all that cannabis and taxed it, they would be able to make a lot of money. Wasted opportunity.

In Australia in 2025, amphetamine and cocaine seizures exceeded 17 tonnes.

I didnt include the various drug seizures measured in only hundred kilo lots.

Japan, being a sea trading nation, seems to be doing well in this area of law enforcement

It seems that if they legalized all that cannabis and taxed it, they would be able to make a lot of money. Wasted opportunity.

While the idea of legalizing and taxing cannabis may seem like a straightforward solution for "making money," this perspective often overlooks the specific economic and social frameworks that define Japan’s public policy.

In response to the comment, we can examine why Japan views legalization not as a "wasted opportunity," but as an unacceptable risk using economic theory and police theory.

Economic Theory: The Fallacy of "Net Profit"

Pro-legalization arguments frequently focus on tax revenue, but a holistic economic analysis must account for negative externalities—costs incurred by society that are not reflected in the price of the good.

Social Cost vs. Tax Revenue: In many jurisdictions that have legalized cannabis, the tax revenue generated is often eclipsed by the increased social costs in healthcare (mental health services, addiction treatment) and loss of labor productivity. For Japan, a country with a shrinking workforce, the marginal cost of a potential increase in substance-induced absenteeism or cognitive impairment is far higher than the marginal benefit of tax revenue.

The "Substitution Effect": Economically, if cannabis were legalized, it might substitute for other taxed goods (like alcohol or tobacco) rather than creating entirely new revenue. If consumers shift their spending from highly taxed sake to cannabis, the net gain to the National Treasury may be negligible while introducing a new set of public health variables.

Infrastructure Costs: Establishing a legal market requires a massive regulatory apparatus (testing labs, licensing boards, specialized tax collectors). For a nation like Japan, which already has a highly efficient, established system for prohibition, the opportunity cost of building a new regulatory bureaucracy may not be worth the investment.

. Police Theory: "Koban" and Public Order

Japanese policing is built on the theory of Community-Based Policing and the maintenance of a "drug-free" social norm as a pillar of public safety.

Broken Windows Theory: Japanese police theory often aligns with the idea that allowing "minor" social deviations (like public drug use) can lead to an erosion of general social order. By maintaining a zero-tolerance policy, the police signal that the community's standards are high, which is believed to deter more serious violent crimes. Legalization would represent a fundamental "fracture" in this deterrent strategy.

Supply-Side Interdiction: The recent seizure of 3 tons of drugs in 2025 demonstrates the efficacy of Japan's Border Control Theory. From a law enforcement perspective, "legalization" is often viewed as a surrender that complicates interdiction. If one substance is legalized, it creates a "gray market" that organized crime (Yakuza) can use to launder more dangerous illicit substances, such as methamphetamines, which remain Japan's primary drug concern.

The "Gateway" and Social Conformity: In a high-conformity society like Japan, the law serves as a primary moral compass. Police theory in Japan suggests that the illegality of cannabis is what keeps the prevalence rate extremely low (below 2%, compared to 40%+ in some Western nations). Shifting from "criminal" to "legal" would destroy the social stigma that currently acts as the most effective form of "soft policing."

The "wasted opportunity" argument assumes that money is the only metric of success. However, from the perspective of Social Welfare Functions, Japan prioritizes a low-crime, high-health environment over the fiscal gains of a "vice tax." To Japan, the potential cost to the national character and public health far outweighs the 10% or 20% tax they could collect at a dispensary.

Long Haul....you do write long comments.

Cannabis as "the devils weed " died when J Edgar Hoover dies.

Australian doctors now prescribing dope thats stronger than any bush weed I have smoked.

Social cohesion and tax revenues unaffected.

Sometimes a short comment will suffice.

Stiffer sentences is the best solution starting at 10 years in the joint, some nations even apply the death penalty in severe cases.

Woody.....drug addiction now recognised as a heath issue.

Substance Abuse Disorder is the term....includes alcohol abuse too.

Enough with the jailing of people....and 10 years !