Cozy prisons coddle foreign inmates

In an article titled “Free to transfer 2,000 yen a month without limit, the reason crime by foreigners doesn’t decline,” Shukan Jitsuwa (Sept 11) looks into crimes by foreigners.

It particularly focuses on crimes by Chinese who, it’s been recently reported, have devised a new way to defraud middle-aged and elderly Japanese, utilizing cell phones while calling long-distance from China in a creative variation of the “it’s me, send money” scam.

The magazine offers an interesting comparison. In 2004, 610,000 Chinese nationals entered Japan. The number prosecuted for thefts and other crimes that year reached 8,691. The same year, 1.08 million holders of passports issued by the Republic of China (Taiwan) entered Japan. Of these, 58 ran afoul of the law, making the arrest/prosecution rate for citizens of China roughly 266 higher than those of Taiwan.

What’s the explanation for such a huge difference? “It’s because of poverty,” an unnamed newspaper reporter is quoted as saying. “By hosting the Olympics, China was supposed to be flaunting its national power. But the affluent account for just a handful and an overwhelming majority of Chinese are gasping with poverty. The authorities even boarded up impoverished neighborhoods along the route of the Marathon race to conceal them from the foreign media. There’s no mistake that China is now facing a serious economic recession.”

Another factor encouraging crimes by Chinese, the article suggests, is Japan’s hospitable penal system, which may be failing to deter crimes by foreigners.

“Those convicted of crimes are required to work, but they receive a stipend of 2,000 yen a month, paid upon their release,” says a writer familiar with the Japanese penal system. “That’s 24,000 yen a year, not even enough to pay for one month’s rent in Japan. But 24,000 yen is equivalent to a month’s wages in mainland China.”

Japanese taxpayers are not only paying to feed and house the foreign criminals, but as an added extra, are even paying them wages for the work they perform in prison. In most countries, the article asserts, this would be unthinkable. Just another way foreign criminals take advantage of the system.

Hearsay even has it that prison inmates from Western countries are served steak on occasion.

“Japanese inmates receive ‘mugi-meshi’ (an unappetizing but nutritious boiled rice-barley mixture) as the staple food. Westerners get meat and bread. That’s awfully accommodating,” the writer remarks.

It would seem that Japan’s penal institutions may be a bit too hospitable to foreign lawbreakers. Shukan Jitsuwa, nevertheless, leaves this matter to readers to ponder without suggesting any draconian measures.

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Latest 15 of 56 Total Comments Show All

larguero at 05:38 PM JST - 7th September

I have never been in jail, but a friend has (he was under arrest for 20 days because they thought he could have done something close to something illegal... and he was from Peru).THey do not let you read anything that is not in Japanese, speak with other immates in a language that is not Japanese. I really doubt that they give foreigners "meat and bread". Besides, the implication that people would like to get arrested so they can make 2000 yen a month is ridiculous.
dano2002 at 11:25 AM JST - 8th September

your friend was in a holding center not prison. i was there too for about 4 days until i paid 500K JPY to get out. it is a scam. a friend of mine get taken for 1M JPY recently. just remember, if you are ever in a fight/disagreement and the guy wants to call the cops then just run away. there is no due process here. i was in a fight and it was my word against his. i lost. he wanted 500K and i said NO. then i sat in jail for 4 days and paid my lawyer 500K to get me out (bribe to someone) plus an additonal 100K to the government.

food - rice, bread, honey. no meat no shower - once a day you can clean up in a sink. 2 smokes in morning i could read english but only between 10-6. my glasses were taken from me a 6:01. i had my own cell. at night you are provided a futon, pillow and blanket. at 7 AM this is taken from you.
freakashow at 11:56 AM JST - 8th September

ColAmerica,

I am giving instances i recall

I do agree with you, that violence happens in every prison in the world, Japan included. I'm just asking kindly that you post a few sources so that I could check them out myself. That would be greatly appreciated. Please note that in a court of law, someone who quotes from actual sources and evidence will more often win the jury's verdict, over "recalled testimonies".

As for the topic of this article, I don't agree that criminals actually think about the level of violence within a potential prison they may end up in, when they are committing a crime. Yes, you may have a point, that there are a few incidents of violence in Japan.

Moderator: The subject is Japanese prisons.
freakashow at 04:23 PM JST - 8th September

Here is an interesting post concerning Japanese prisons to look at:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/04/16/AR2006041600852_pf.html

Moderator: The purpose of the discussion board is for you to post your opinion on the topic, not just post URLs.
timeon at 07:54 PM JST - 8th September

Some info (4 years outdated, because I stopped working as a translator): 1) they do get steaks occasionally 2) they have some magazines and books in foreign languages, but not much 3) they can receive packages, including books, magazines in their native language 4) they are allowed to watch TV occasionally 5) my guys complained more about the other inmates than about the guards 6) never been inside, but from their words I understand that the conditions are decent 7) abuses and violence do happen from time to time, but where doesn't?
Peaceful_Man at 09:37 PM JST - 8th September

Schofield....get me out of here
USARonin at 10:01 PM JST - 8th September

People shouldn't go to other countries with intent to break their laws.

Like Baretta said, pardner, "If you can'ts do the time..."

USAR
Proffessor at 06:00 PM JST - 9th September

larguero, you don't have to go to jail. Yes, your friend could have been in before but you don't need to brag about it because you don't have to be in jail.
DXXJP at 09:04 AM JST - 10th September

How many here have been to jail in japan. Non I suppose so anything is probably hearsay with little fact. I have been to jail in japan. Best damn vacation I ever had. I didn't get steak, but the food was alright. I was given the shower room to my self once every three days, and I was given 1 hour of exercise time with my smokes. My wife brought me books, magazines, clothes and toiletries. I confessed to my crime so I didn't have hard time with the prosecutor, I guess it was hard to say I didn't do it when I beat down 4 yak wanna be,s in the street.

I know a few others that have been to japans hardest prison in Hokkaido and said it was still a vacation compared to any other country. Look Rape is almost non existent, prisoners get religion real quick on the inside, pretty dosil I might add. If they follow orders they are taken care of pretty well, its not gladiator school like some of you might think.

If you go to the video store there are a few movies on the subject discerning forien and japanese inmates and how they fared in their incarceration.

How can I compare all this, well Im no angel and will admit to all my faults. I spent a few rounds in the poky when I was younger. I had to stop messin around when my brother became chief of police in our city. Most of my misdeeds were traffic violations so no victims until japan. Sorry your not going to punch my wife in the face and walk away without regretting it.
kjunluc2 at 09:59 AM JST - 10th September

DXXKP

You went to jail for a good reason. I used to harass the Yaks when I was full of dutch courage. I started getting paranoid when I was sober.
timeon at 12:47 PM JST - 10th September

DXXKP, so you protected your family in self-defense and they sent you to jail?!
Xennon at 01:36 PM JST - 10th September

ColAmerica said:

A high pfressued hose into the anus was one of the methods used to kill an inmate.

Oh my scary god! Is this true? That just freaks me out.
GW at 02:32 PM JST - 10th September

Like I always say, while in Jpn if you get into trouble, whatever it is DO NOT wait for the cops, even if its totally obvious yr not at fault you will end up at the very least answering questions for hrs or end up locked up, there is no due process here, you just get processed
Osakadaz at 02:52 PM JST - 12th September

my experience of 12 days in a holding cell is the same.Talked to like a dog,in a tiny cell with two others,all reading material in English banned, 1 shower a week,unpalatable food every day except for Sunday which was made by a bento company,2 cigarettes a day and punishments for small perceived violations.Never felt threatened by anyone else in there,but it cost 200k to get out after being forced to agree to something I couldn't remember 'or you will go to jail and have to spend 20 days there until your trial'.Never saw steak. Don't get into fights here if you can avoid it.I was in the wrong.
VoXman at 01:16 PM JST - 18th September

From the tone and meter of the article sounds like what they really want to say id; "kill 'em all".

The writer is sweating 2000 yen a month, when most 1st world countries do pay their inmates a minumul amount....