Legal Life inside Japan's largest female prison

Most prison sentences in Japan previously included an explicit obligation to work. Others could apply for jobs. This dual system was abolished in June 2025. In its place is a single form of incarceration that emphasises individualised treatment, rehabilitation and reintegration. It marks the first change to Japan's sentencing system in more than a century. Depending on the individual, work may now be combined with vocational training, addiction support, psychological counselling, and preparation for life after release. Makoto Tadaki, a professor of criminal law at Chuo University in Tokyo, said that eliminating the old division made it possible to combine work and guidance more flexibly and to create more time for other forms of treatment. The official reason for the reform was the high rate of recidivism — almost 50%.

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Many inmates at Tochigi Women's Prison do not fit the typical profile of prisoners. While just under 40% are in good health, more than 60% have physical or mental impairments or are ill. Almost one in five women is over 70, and the oldest is 91. Some use wheelchairs and cannot access the communal bath unaided. Yet the facility employs only four nurses and two physiotherapists. A third of the inmates come from abroad — mostly from Asian countries such as Thailand, Vietnam and China. Many were convicted of drug smuggling: Japan's drug laws are among the toughest in the world. Despite communication difficulties, only a few foreign inmates receive Japanese language lessons.

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