The agency says good Samaritans brought in about 29,787,000 lost items, an increase of roughly 3.15 million from 2022, and the highest number since police started keeping track back in 1971.
Wireless earbuds and handheld fans were at the top of the lost property list. Police also received large numbers of reusable shopping bags, heated tobacco devices, and mobile battery chargers.
More money, more problems
Despite the continuing shift to cashless payment systems, many Japanese people still carry notes and coins, a preference highlighted by the record cash haul handed to police.
Finding the rightful owners isn't always easy, though. Out of the 22.8 billion yen turned over, only 15.7 billion made it back into the pockets of the original holders. Of the remainder, 3.2 billion yen went to the finders after the three-month period for claiming the money passed, and the rest ― 3.4 billion yen ― went to the local prefecture because the finders also declined to accept it.
Lost animals
One of the more surprising aspects of the lost property report is the number of lost animals. Police say members of the public brought in 25,500 creatures ― 12,700 dogs, 4,300 cats and 8,400 other animals, including birds and turtles and even a sugar glider. They believe most were pets.
Police are required to care for the animals for two weeks while searching for the owners. After that, they hand them to animal welfare centers. If the animals aren't claimed after three months, police ask the centers to keep them, unless the people who found them ask for custody. But they say in some cases, the police officers themselves are forced to take them home.