The downward trend of the prison population, starting in 2015, continued in 2015. Japan has one of the lowest occupancy rates and incarceration rates of the developed world.
The ratio of of old age detainees is one of the highest in the world. One detainee in five is more than 60 years old. Poor retirement programs are the reason to it.
Death penalty is still practice. Three prisoners are executed in 2015. Four new sentences are pronounced.
Infrastructure and living conditions appear in Japanese prisons appear to be acceptable. However, psychological control is permanently imposed to inmates: it is not allowed to speak throughout most of the day and movements are watch over even inside the cells.