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Japan reports fewer missing dementia cases for second straight year; tracking devices aid quick recovery
The National Police Agency said the total fell by 776 from the prior year and marked the second consecutive annual decline. Community reports and location devices contributed to recoveries, while 573 people were found dead.
The Japan TimesAudio version
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The National Police Agency announced Thursday that 17,345 people with dementia or suspected dementia were reported missing in 2025. The total fell by 776 from the previous year and marked the second straight annual decline, though the figure stayed elevated. Whereabouts were confirmed for 16,729 people reported missing in 2025 or earlier.
Of those, 573 were found dead. For the first time the agency examined how the individuals were located. Reports from local residents or facilities accounted for roughly 47 percent of discoveries. Police activities such as questioning and visits to likely locations produced 17 percent of the finds.
Many cases were resolved after residents received emails from local governments. “It is important to empower the local community to act as eyes by calling on them using administrative networks,” an NPA official said. Among the located individuals, 139 had used location-tracking devices such as GPS units or loss-prevention tags.
That same-day rate was 17 percentage points higher than the overall rate.
In each case the device had malfunctioned after water submersion or failed to track the person in mountainous terrain.
