Tag - japanese-prisons

 
 

JAPANESE PRISONS

Takuya Matsunaga reads a reply from Kozo Iizuka, imprisoned for killing Matsunaga's wife and daughter in 2019 in a high-profile accident in Tokyo's Ikebukuro district, at his home in Tokyo earlier this month.
JAPAN / Crime & Legal
Apr 19, 2024
Five years after fatal Ikebukuro crash, bereaved man works to prevent repeat
A man plans to meet with the driver who accidentally killed his wife and young daughter, hoping to learn what went through the driver's mind.
A prison officer looks around Tokushima prison in Tokushima in March 2018. The Justice Ministry announced Wednesday that male prisoners in Japan are to be allowed to have certain skin care products.
JAPAN / Society
Jan 24, 2024
Japan to allow male prisoners to use same skin care items as women
Under previous rules, the in-prison purchase and gift acceptance of the toiletry items were allowed only for female inmates.
Heidrun Holzfeind documents urban and rural scenes, such as two policemen on bicycles nonchalantly rolling down a street, in her video piece "The 49th Year." The footage is presented alongside incarcerated New Left group leader Toshihiko Kamata’s writings about Japan’s highly supervised society in the exhibition "News from K."
CULTURE / Art
Nov 26, 2023
'News From K' captures the oppression of landscape
Letters from prison by New Left group leader Toshihiko Kamata reveal a sense of limbo in Heidrun Holzfeind’s new work.
Human Rights Watch Asia program officer Teppei Kasai (center) speaks during a news conference in Tokyo on Tuesday.
JAPAN / Crime & Legal
Nov 15, 2023
Japan women prisoners suffer serious abuse: Human Rights Watch
Handcuffs during pregnancy, separation from newborn babies and insufficient care for elderly inmates are among the abuses suffered, the rights group said.
“The Burden of the Past” is based on the real-life experiences of ex-cons and the editorial team of a magazine that supports former prisoners in finding jobs and reentering society.
CULTURE / Film
Oct 16, 2023
'The Burden of the Past' addresses bleak reality of ex-cons with some hope
Atsushi Funahashi’s film is grounded in the director’s own research about the hurdles former prisoners face when attempting to rejoin society.
Nara Prison, completed in 1908, serves as a rare testament to the Meiji government's efforts to showcase the modernization of confinement facilities in Japan during that era.
BUSINESS
Oct 1, 2023
Luxury lockup: Former Japan prison to open as high-end hotel in 2026
While guests will be able to appreciate the facility's rich history, Hoshino Resorts assures that they will not have to endure confined conditions.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Jun 23, 2023
Japan's Justice Ministry compiles plan to prevent prison abuse
Following abuse by officers at Nagoya Prison, the ministry plans to provide officers with body cameras and change the system determining where inmates are detained.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Crime & Legal
Jun 21, 2023
Expert panel takes aim at Japan’s prison conditions following inmate abuse
The reforms, including measures targeting the early detection of abuse, would be applied to all penal institutions in Japan if approved.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Crime & Legal
Apr 28, 2023
13 Nagoya prison officers referred to prosecutors over assaults
The Nagoya District Public Prosecutor's Office will conduct investigations to determine whether to indict the officers, who range from 21 to 37 years old.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Crime & Legal
Dec 10, 2022
22 officers at Nagoya Prison found to have abused inmates
The Justice Ministry is considering working with prosecutors to build criminal cases against the officers accused of abuses.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Crime & Legal
Nov 5, 2022
Americans who helped Carlos Ghosn escape Japan are sent back to U.S.
The father and son sentenced to serve time in a Japanese prison for smuggling Carlos Ghosn out of the country were transferred to the U.S. a week ago.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Oct 18, 2022
Film explores innocent man's decadeslong imprisonment in Japan
Shoji Sakurai, 75, endured 29 years of imprisonment, starting with his arrest in 1967 before his eventual release.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Crime & Legal
Aug 3, 2022
Lawyers decry ban on 'menacing' eyewear at Japan prison
The glasses risked 'intimidating and inviting derision from' other prisoners, the jail in Hokkaido has been quoted as saying.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Crime & Legal
Jun 13, 2022
Japan passes bill to make online insults punishable with prison time
In Japan, insults are distinguished from defamation in that the former publicly demeans someone without referring to a specific action, but both are punishable under the law.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Jun 8, 2022
More Japanese prisons to make products designed by Montbell
Inmates at Abashiri Prison in Hokkaido have already been producing items designed by the outdoor goods firm, and the program's success has led to its expansion.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Crime & Legal
Sep 24, 2021
Woman gets five years in prison for killing her newborn in Tokyo airport toilet
The judge described her acts as 'selfish and short-sighted,' saying she killed the child to avoid any impact on her job search.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Society
May 30, 2021
Young inmates in Japan encouraged to reconnect with society before release
Growing grapes, mowing lawns and visiting homes for older people are all on the agenda for Japan's incarcerated.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Crime & Legal
Oct 2, 2020
New justice minister pledges support for non-Japanese residents
Yoko Kamikawa vowed to improve policies that impact foreign nationals in Japan as well as the transparency of the justice system.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Sep 6, 2020
Harsher treatment or second chances? Japan at crossroads in juvenile law debate
A Justice Ministry panel has proved sharply split over whether to exclude 18- and 19-year-olds from correctional programs guaranteed by the law.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Jun 12, 2020
Japan's first drill of prison coronavirus outbreak held in Kyoto
The drill was based on coronavirus countermeasures drawn up by the Justice Ministry, which oversees such detention facilities across the country.

Longform

Later this month, author Shogo Imamura will open Honmaru, a bookstore that allows other businesses to rent its shelves. It's part of a wave of ideas Japanese booksellers are trying to compete with online spaces.
The story isn't over for Japan's bookstores