TOKYO, July 2 (Xinhua) -- Approximately 350,000 people in Japan aged between 15 and 64 are believed to have used cocaine, local media reported Thursday, citing a government study.
A nationwide survey sent out by the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare in 2025 showed 0.4 percent of respondents had admitted to cocaine use, the largest estimate since the current research method was introduced in 2007, Kyodo News reported.
Surveys were sent to 5,000 people selected from the basic resident register between October and December 2025 and received 3,156 valid responses.
Actual drug use may be higher since usage history is self-reported, the report said.
According to the study, 0.5 percent of men had used cocaine at least once in the past, while 0.3 percent of women answered similarly, equivalent to about 210,000 and 140,000 people, respectively.
By age, those in their 40s were the largest cohort to have previously used the drug at 0.7 percent, the equivalent of approximately 130,000 people. ■