It’s a situation most foreigners don’t anticipate, but it happens more often than you might think. Whether it’s a drunken altercation that leads to “self-defense” or a minor traffic violation that escalates, what happens if you end up in prison in Japan?
In 2023, authorities arrested about 11,530 foreign nationals in Japan for criminal offenses, and in 2024, they deported nearly 19,000 foreigners, mostly for overstaying their visas. Knowing exactly what happens when you go to prison in Japan is important because once authorities arrest you, the system moves fast, and you have little room to negotiate or explain your way out.
From the first taiho (arrest) to life inside a keimusho (prison), foreign inmates face rigid daily routines, mandatory labor, language barriers, and a long road to deportation. This article walks you through every step, so you know what to expect if you ever find yourself on the wrong side of the law here.
Arrest to Trial and Incarceration
When authorities arrest you in Japan, you lose control of your situation almost immediately. Communication with the outside world—including family and your employer—becomes restricted. Unless you specifically request it, police do not notify anyone about your arrest.
Under Article 39 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, you have the right to request a meeting with a lawyer. If you’re a foreign national, you can also request that your embassy be informed based on the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations (Article 36)—but again, the police won’t do this automatically unless you ask.
In serious cases, like violent crimes or drug offenses, communication with anyone other than your lawyer can be restricted under Article 81 of the Code of Criminal Procedure. This can mean no phone calls, no visits and no letters—and authorities can even censor or seize letters and packages—while the investigation continues.
Meanwhile, investigators are working fast. Their goal is simple:
- Gather evidence
- Secure a confession
- Move your case forward to prosecution
How Long Can You Be Held?
In Japan, you can be detained for up to 23 days without being formally charged. And if you make it 23 days, don’t expect to go home. Re-arrest (再逮捕, saitaiho) allows police to arrest a suspect again on new or additional charges just before the initial 23-day detention period ends. Each re-arrest restarts the detention clock, meaning a person can be held for months without a formal trial if new allegations keep appearing.
Here’s how the timeline works:
| Stage | Time Limit | What Happens |
| Arrest | 0 hours | You are arrested and taken into police custody. |
| Police Detention | Up to 48 hours | Police interrogate you and gather evidence. |
| Referral to Prosecutor | Within 48 hours | Police must either release you or refer you to a prosecutor. |
| Prosecutor Review | 24 hours | The prosecutor decides whether to request pre-trial detention. |
| Initial Detention (Kōryū) | Up to 10 days | If a judge approves, you are held for further investigation. |
| Detention Extension | Up to 10 more days | The prosecutor can request one more 10-day extension. |
| Total Pre-Indictment Detention | Up to 23 days | The maximum time you can be held without formal charges. |
Arrest FAQ: What You Need to Know
Here are some frequently asked questions about arrests in Japan.
Can I call my family or employer right away?
You cannot make a call automatically. You can ask your lawyer to arrange contact, but direct calls often face delays, especially for serious charges.
Will the police inform my embassy?
The police will only inform your embassy if you request it. Under the Vienna Convention, foreigners have the right to embassy contact, but you must specifically ask for it.
Can I meet with a lawyer immediately?
You have the right to request a lawyer under Article 39. However, in practice, authorities may delay early access, and lawyers cannot attend police interrogations.
What if I am accused of a minor crime?
You might get released earlier without an indictment for minor crimes, but this outcome is not guaranteed. If authorities suspect you of serious crimes like assault, theft, drug offenses or financial fraud, expect detention for the full 23 days.
Where Are Foreign Nationals Incarcerated?
Foreign nationals who do not understand Japanese can request free interpretation services during police and prosecutor investigations and the trial after indictment. Public authorities must provide this service under Article 312 of the Code of Criminal Procedure and other regulations.
This continues after incarceration. Inmates with language barriers generally stay in prisons equipped with language support systems. According to the Ministry of Justice, Japan has over 60 prisons, with more than 20 offering special facilities for foreign inmates with limited Japanese proficiency.
Inmates with particularly poor Japanese skills are usually assigned to:
- Fukushima Prison (Fukushima Prefecture)
- Fuchu Prison (Tokyo)
- Yokohama Prison (Kanagawa Prefecture)
- Osaka Prison (Osaka Prefecture)
These prisons have set up “International Measures Divisions” to support foreign inmates. For example, Fuchu Prison, which houses the largest number of foreign inmates, provides support from international specialists, full-time interpreters, translators from private companies, and external collaborators to assist with interpretation and translation services.
Are Foreigners Held at Immigration Offices?
Yes, but usually only in two cases:
If authorities arrest you for an immigration violation (like overstaying your visa), they can detain you directly at an Immigration Bureau facility without going through the regular prison system.
If you’re a foreigner who finishes serving a criminal sentence in Japan, officials usually transfer you to immigration detention to await deportation.
Immigration detention is administrative, not criminal, but authorities enforce strict conditions, and the process can take weeks or even months to complete. Detention can last for weeks, months, or even over a year in rare cases if the deportation process is delayed. Conditions are very controversial—hunger strikes, protests and deaths have been reported at some facilities..
What Happens When Imprisonment Begins?
Your first few days are spent in isolation for observation in a stark single-person cell, furnished with just a futon, metal washbasin, desk and toilet. If you don’t speak Japanese, interpreters and multilingual materials are available, but you must adapt quickly to prison life with minimal special treatment.
During this time, you undergo several processing steps:
- Confiscation of personal belongings for storage or disposal
- Health check to screen for diseases or injuries
- Interview about your background, language skills, and work history
- Issuance of a prison uniform and supplies
- Orientation with translated materials or rule videos
- Behavioral assessment to determine your cell and work assignments
After assessment, prison staff may move you to a shared cell with about five other inmates. However, some prisons, such as Fuchu Prison, may place foreigners in a separate cell to “avoid possible clashes due to cultural differences.”
A prison cell will typically include:
- A toilet
- Small personal shelves
- A television
- Assigned floor space or bed for sleeping
Each morning, you must fold and store your futon neatly, keep your cell clean, dress properly, and follow strict behavioral rules. Even covering your face with a blanket while sleeping is forbidden. Prison life in Japan demands discipline and conformity, and adjusting can be especially hard for foreign inmates.
Life and Food in Japanese Prisons
Daily life in Japanese prisons follows a strict routine, with minimal concessions for foreign inmates. A typical day may look like this:
- 6:45 a.m. – Wake-up and roll call
- 7:05 a.m. – Breakfast
- 7:35 a.m. – Work duties
- 8:00 a.m. – Morning work session
- Noon – Lunch
- 1:00 p.m. – Afternoon work session
- 4:10 p.m. – Dinner
- 4:50 p.m. – Evening roll call
- 6:00 p.m. – Free time (reading, writing, limited TV)
- 9:00 p.m. – Lights out
On weekends and holidays, authorities suspend work assignments, and inmates spend most of the day confined to their cells. Inmates follow strict grooming rules, choosing between a monthly haircut of 0.2 cm or 1.6 cm, though some may receive permission to grow it to 5 cm. Staff regularly inspect inmates for compliance.
Visits are tightly controlled. Only family, legal representatives or approved rehabilitation visitors can meet inmates. Unless special permission is granted, all conversations must be in Japanese. Prison staff continuously review treatment practices. They address all prisoners respectfully, using titles like “Mr.” or “Ms.”
Meals are served at fixed times under supervision, with limited options. Prison kitchens accommodate dietary restrictions, but options remain scarce, and many foreign inmates struggle with the unfamiliar tastes and textures of Japanese food.
Prison Labor and Rehabilitation
Inmates must perform assigned work duties. After waking up, they clean their cells, tidy their belongings and maintain hygiene before breakfast. They then work or attend training for up to eight hours a day.
Prison labor includes:
- Production Work: Manufacturing goods
- Social Contribution Work: Projects for rehabilitation through public service
- Vocational Training: Programs to develop skills for employment
- Self-Support Work: Tasks for daily prison operations
Inmates earn an average monthly work allowance of ¥4,500. The government collects any additional revenue. In 2022, prison labor across Japan generated approximately ¥2.1 billion ($14.49 million). Foreign inmates also participate and receive guidance to help them adapt.
Prison labor plays a major role in rehabilitation and preparing inmates for reintegration into society. Some of these products are sold to the public through correctional exhibitions (kyoseiten, 矯正展) and at special shops like the CAPIC, giving inmates a way to contribute to society while developing skills.
Exercise and Adjusting to Prison Life
Inmates also receive brief daily exercise periods, usually 30 minutes to an hour, in designated outdoor yards under strict supervision. Prison activities remain minimal, often limited to walking laps, stretching or synchronized group calisthenics (rajio taiso), and many foreign prisoners find the lack of real physical freedom to be one of the hardest adjustments.
Daily life emphasizes order over comfort. Inmates must keep their cells spotless, fold their futons neatly each morning, and address staff and each other using strict formalities. Even small infractions, like improperly storing bedding, can lead to disciplinary action.
Prison life in Japan demands discipline and conformity at every level, and for foreign inmates, adapting to the system, with its language barriers, strict rules and cultural expectations, can be particularly isolating and challenging.
Consequences for Breaking Rules
- Loss of Privileges: Prisoners may lose visitation rights, personal belongings, access to the prison store, and work assignments.
- Solitary Confinement: Serious or repeated infractions lead to placement in a punishment cell, where inmates face harsh conditions and limited contact.
- Reduction in Work Pay or Sentence Privileges: Violations can reduce or eliminate the small wages prisoners earn and cancel sentence reduction benefits tied to good behavior.
- Delay or Denial of Parole: Good behavior is essential for parole eligibility. Rule violations can delay or prevent parole, forcing prisoners to serve their full sentence.
- Criminal Charges: In extreme cases (e.g., violence against guards, smuggling), new criminal charges can result in additional prison time.
What Happens After You Leave Prison?
There are two main options for foreigners to leave a Japanese prison:
- Complete their full sentence in Japan
- Request repatriation to their home country
Prisoners from countries with a Prisoner Transfer Treaty can request repatriation, but approval is rare. Japan may reject requests if it believes the home country will give a lighter sentence. If approved, prisoners move to a facility near an airport, organize their belongings and take a passport-style photo before transfer.
The authorities transfer foreigners who complete their sentence in Japan to the Immigration Bureau for deportation, and they usually lose their residency status. They may spend weeks or months in immigration detention, where authorities consider conditions worse than those in prison, with no work programs or daily structure.
Authorities expect deportees to pay their own travel costs—a process called jihi shukkoku (自費出国, “self-funded departure”)—but may cover the cost if necessary. Prisoners who agree to voluntary deportation can sometimes shorten their detention, but must waive appeal rights and fund their own return.
Foreigners deported from Japan face reentry bans from five years up to a permanent ban, depending on the offense.
Resources and Help
Support options exist for foreigners in trouble. Nonprofits like Prisoners Abroad for UK citizens, the Franciscan Chapel Center and the Center for Prisoners’ Rights, along with some embassies, can help with communication, legal advice and emotional support.
If authorities arrest you in Japan, ask to contact your embassy immediately—even if you feel embarrassed. Consular support can improve your treatment during detention and deportation procedures.
Japan’s prison system enforces strict rules, mandatory labor, and tough consequences for anyone who breaks the law. While foreigners do receive some consideration, prison life in Japan is still extremely demanding. Your best bet? Know the laws, respect them and avoid trouble altogether—you definitely don’t want to find out what life inside is like.
What do you think about prison in Japan? Do you know anyone who has experienced the Japanese justice system? Let us know in the comments below.
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA - Privacy Policy - Terms of Service