The number of traffic accident deaths in Japan rose 2.1 percent to 1,182 in the first half of 2023 from a year earlier, marking the first increase in 10 years for a January-June period, according to recent police data.
The National Police Agency attributed the increase to fewer deaths when restrictions on movement were in place during the pandemic and the subsequent return to normal when curbs were lifted.
In May, the country downgraded the legal status of COVID-19 to the same category as seasonal influenza, marking a major shift in its approach after three years of dealing with the coronavirus.
Of those who died or were injured when riding a bicycle, 12.2 percent were wearing helmets, up 2.1 percentage points from the same period a year before and the highest level since comparable data became available in 2007, according to the NPA.
The ratio for June alone was also the highest for the same month at 15.6 percent.
Since April, cyclists across all age groups have been urged to wear helmets under a revised road traffic law.
The number of traffic accidents in the first six months of this year rose 3,956 to 146,943. There were 1,149 incidents in which at least one person died.
Of the 1,182 total people who died, 417 were walking, 402 were riding in a car, 212 were on a motorcycle and 143 were on a bicycle, with increases in deaths seen among motorcycle riders, pedestrians and those in cars.
Among motorcycle users involved in accidents, there was a marked increase in those citing work purposes and recreation as reasons for being on the road.
By prefecture, Osaka and Aichi had the highest number of deaths at 81 and 72, respectively, while Saga logged the lowest with three.
