Japan's Juvenile Law defines a juvenile as being between 14 and 20 years of age and places the handling of juvenile delinquents under the primary jurisdiction of the Family Court. Juveniles under 14 years of age are primarily handled under the Child Welfare Law. The incidence of juvenile delinquency in Japan has fluctuated over the years. In the late 1970's, Japan faced a high rate of juvenile delinquency, particularly among junior high school students. Minor offenses, such as shoplifting and sniffing paint thinner, were typical of younger delinquents. Juvenile delinquency was widespread even among two-parent and middle class families. Most delinquents were dropouts from a highly competitive school system, and their motivation to commit offenses involved pleasure seeking rather than survival. The lack of social control caused by rapid industrialization and economic prosperity in the 1970's and early 1980's contributed to juvenile delinquency. Juvenile crime reached a high plateau during the first half of the 1980's and declined during the last half of the decade. During the 1980's, Japanese society made a concerted effort to reconstruct social bonds and prevent juvenile delinquency. Features of juvenile delinquency in the 1980's are described in terms of age, gender, family background, motivation, crime type, and drug abuse. The extent of violence in schools involving both students and teachers and efforts to prevent such violence are also discussed. 18 tables and 1 figure