Secretary for Security Ambrose Lee has told senior Japanese officials Hong Kong's crime rate is low and the Government is committed to maintaining it as a safe place to visit and to do business.

Meeting Japanese Minister of Justice Chieko Nohno in Tokyo today, Mr Lee said the overall crime rate in the first four months of the year fell 6.3% compared to the same period last year.

He said Hong Kong is home to a large expatriate community, which includes 14,000 Japanese.

Mr Lee hailed the Japanese Government's granting of visa-free access to Hong Kong passport holders, saying since the move in April last year, 26.5% more Hong Kong tourists are travelling to the country.

Earlier today, Mr Lee called on the Parliamentary Secretary for Foreign Affairs Keishiro Fukushima, and visited the Tokyo Metropolitan Disaster Prevention Centre.