Japanese Prison is Like “Living in a Military Bootcamp” (Harsh Rules, Forced Labor)

The Japanese prison system is known for its strict discipline and regimented routines. Prisoners in Japan experience a highly controlled environment with little privacy or autonomy. While the system has its defenders, it also draws criticism for being inhumane and outdated.

Life Behind Bars is Highly Structured

In Japanese prisons, inmates’ days are planned down to the minute. They wake up and go to sleep at the same time. Their meals, work duties, exercise breaks and bathing are scheduled to the hour. Prisoners spend much of their time lined up single file as they move between activities.

They march in step under the watchful eyes of guards. Talking is forbidden without permission. All prisoners wear uniforms and have shaved heads. Their identities are reduced to a number.

The aim is total conformity. The prisons are spotlessly clean and well-ordered. The atmosphere is one of silence and discipline. Individuality is suppressed. Privacy is nonexistent – inmates use the toilet and bath publicly under surveillance.

The intention is to reform prisoners through military-style regimentation. Dissent and disobedience are not tolerated. Those who break rules face escalating punishments like solitary confinement.

Work is Mandatory

All able-bodied prisoners in Japan must engage in unpaid prison labor. Jobs range from manufacturing to agriculture. Inmates work 8 hours most days, 6 days a week. Extensive labor is seen as humane and rehabilitative. It teaches values like diligence, humility and cooperation. On paper, the work helps inmates gain vocational skills to use after release.

In practice, the work can be tedious and repetitive. It includes manual tasks like sewing buttons, crafting paper bags, or stuffing cushions. Critics say the outdated system amounts to cruel exploitation. Inmates receive little job training or education. Their work serves to defray prison operation costs. Many leave prison lacking skills relevant to modern society.

Isolation Takes a Psychological Toll

The most controversial aspect of the Japanese prison system is its extensive use of solitary confinement. Inmates, including those awaiting trial, spend months or years alone in tiny cells. They have no stimuli like television, hobbies or exercise.

Human contact and mental healthcare are minimal. Isolation continues on death row, where prisoners await execution for an average of 7 years.

Prolonged solitary confinement induces lasting psychological damage. Former death row inmates describe profound despair and hallucinations. They speak of fellow inmates driven to self-harm or screaming incoherently in the night.

Critics condemn the practice as inhumane torture. Isolation upends human social needs, they argue, and causes irreparable harm. But solitary remains routine, seen as maintaining order.

Is There a Better Way?

Japan’s rigid, austere prisons reflect a cultural emphasis on conformity, duty and group harmony. But critics say they are outdated and due for reform. With crime declining, some facilities now house more elderly petty thieves than violent criminals. Guards are role models, not bullies. Talk therapy and rehabilitation programs are increasing.

There are calls to reduce incarceration and focus on reintegration. But progress is gradual. Public support for the status quo remains high. Many see hard discipline as upholding societal stability and low crime rates. Until attitudes shift, the regimented world of Japanese prisons is unlikely to change.