The arrested development of female prisons
Though the prison population in Japan is remarkably small compared to other countries, there have been increases in recent years among certain demographics. The media is particularly sensitive to elderly inmates. Less remarked upon are female prisoners.
As a result there are more women in prison. A 2014 report by the online magazine News Post 7 said there were about 5,000 women in penal institutions that year - a fivefold increase over 1992 - as opposed to about 60,000 men. A 2017 article in the Nihon Keizai Shimbun says that the female prison population started to increase in 1990 and has risen to the point where the capacity for women inmates is insufficient to handle demand.
One problem is that it is difficult to find female guards. According to a 2017 article in the Nishi Nippon Shimbun, the turnover rate for female guards is just over 37 percent “before the end of the third year of employment,” about 2½ times the turnover rate for male guards. The Justice Ministry told the newspaper that one reason is the higher average age of female prisoners, who are more difficult for guards to deal with.
There are 10 prison facilities in Japan that accept women and at least three have more prisoners than they can handle. Many of the remaining are at over 90 percent capacity, according to the Nishi Nippon Shimbun article. Meanwhile, male prisons nationwide are at 61 percent of capacity.
News On Japan - Nov 26
A 29-year-old man has been arrested for meeting an underage teen girl, with sexual intent, after sending her messages, promising to make her "the happiest in the world".
News On Japan - Nov 25
A JR West Japan train conductor has been arrested for secretly filming eight women in the toilet of the express train "Haruka" while on duty.
NHK - Nov 24
Japanese police are investigating a stabbing incident that took place at a music arena in Yokohama City, south of Tokyo, on Thursday.
News On Japan - Nov 23
In the sidestreets of Tokyo's entertainment district, Kabukicho, known as "To-Yoko," there has been rampant abuse of over-the-counter cough medicine by young people wanting to experience 'overdose', that is, being completely incapacitated.
News On Japan - Nov 23
A wild boar that ran riot in a school in northern Japan on Thursday, smashing windows and frightening students and parents, is still on the loose in a residential area in Sendai, with local police receiving about 20 reports.
News On Japan - Nov 22
The first-ever competition to determine the world's best at trash collection has been held, with representatives from 21 countries gathering in Tokyo.
News On Japan - Nov 22
Streets littered with heaps of garbage, even spilling onto the opposite sidewalks, have become a pressing issue in Kamata, Tokyo, where local eateries line the streets.
NHK - Nov 22
The BBC has included a former member of Japan's Ground Self-Defense Force who spoke out about sexual violence within her unit in its annual list of 100 women for 2023.
News On Japan - Nov 21
Sales of the "Year-End Jumbo Lottery," offering 1 billion yen in total prize money, kicked off Tuesday.
News On Japan - Nov 21
Video footage has emerged of a truck engulfed in flames on a highway in Hokkaido, Japan's northern island, after its tire fell off.
News On Japan - Nov 21
Approximately 4 million yen in cash was found in trash at a recycling plant in Fukuyama City, Hiroshima Prefecture.
Japanese Comedian Meshida - Nov 20
Now many foreigners come to Japan and enjoy our culture. However, most visitors just see the surface of Japanese culture. To be honest, there are many hidden cultures in Japan. The same as a coin, Japan has different sides.
manilatimes.net - Nov 20
One in four couples who got married in the past year in Japan met through matching apps, the same proportion as those who met at work, a recent survey conducted by Meiji Yasuda Life Insurance Co. has found.
News On Japan - Nov 19
A far-right activist has been arrested and charged with assault after crashing a car into a barrier near the Israeli Embassy on Thursday, with a riot police officer suffering three broken fingers and a near-severed little finger.
News On Japan - Nov 18
Edogawa Ward in Tokyo, which has the highest incidence of bicycle thefts in the city, announced the installation of 80 surveillance cameras in bicycle parking areas at private condominiums and other locations.
The Japan Reporter - Nov 18
Netorare, 'NTR', is a genre where one person in a relationship gets cucked through adultery. This is very common to see in the Japanese porn and some people worry that makes Japan's cheating culture even worse.