TOKYO, April 3 (Xinhua) -- Japanese police said crimes committed by visiting foreign nationals are on the rise, with the figures up for a second straight year, local media reported Thursday.

According to the National Police Agency, foreign visitors committed 21,794 criminal offenses last year, which included theft and immigration law violations, with a total of 12,170 foreign nationals suspected of involvement, public broadcaster NHK reported.

The figures, meanwhile, are significantly lower than the peaks of 47,865 cases in 2005 and 21,842 offenders in 2004.

Theft accounted for the majority of the crimes with 9,103 offenses, including 2,252 cases of shoplifting.

The police have confirmed cases in which perpetrators get together through social media, steal large quantities of items from drugstores and clothing stores, and send them to their home countries, the report said.

Police are strengthening their crackdown on crimes by groups of foreigners, while urging businesses to take further anti-shoplifting measures. Enditem

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