From Three Meals a Day to Rehabilitation Therapy: How Did a Japanese Prison Become a Nursing Home? [Global Report]

【Financial News, Tochigi Prefecture = Seo Hye-jin, correspondent】 On the outskirts of Tochigi Prefecture, Japan. After nearly two hours north from Tokyo on the 21st of last month, a prison transport vehicle was waiting at Koganei Station. About 30 minutes later, as the road passed fields and logistics warehouses, the area grew sparse and gray walls and barbed wire came into view. It was Tochigi Prison, Japan's largest women's prison.
After passing through security screening, we headed to the inmate housing block. Guided by a correctional officer, we entered the first workshop and saw more than 30 inmates in pale pink uniforms and light blue caps seated side by side at long worktables. What stood out before the workshop itself was the inmates' ages. Most were elderly women. Wheelchairs were placed throughout the room, and many had white hair. One inmate who looked well over 70 was folding colored paper with her wrinkled fingertips. The finished pieces were assembled into bottle-shaped ornaments and animal figures. A correctional officer explained that this was not simple origami, but part of a program designed to maintain and improve cognitive function.
As we moved to the second workshop, the sound of sewing machines filled the room. Some middle-aged inmates were visible, but this area also had a high proportion of older prisoners. One inmate with a slightly bent back sat in front of an electric sewing machine, continuing her stitching.
Tochigi Prison, which has housed female inmates since 1906, is the largest of Japan's 12 women's prisons. It has a capacity of 655, and currently holds 486 inmates, for an occupancy rate of about 74%.
The biggest challenge Tochigi Prison now faces is aging. Kiyochika Miyoshi, the prison warden, said, "The total number of inmates is declining, but the share of older inmates continues to rise."

According to the prison, as of April 1 this year, 32% of all inmates were 60 or older. Those aged 70 or above accounted for 18%. Only about 40% of inmates had no special health issues. The remaining 60% needed medical or daily living support. Many of them also suffer from declining mental and cognitive function.
Excluding inmates serving life sentences, the average prison term is about five years. Many Japanese inmates are first-time offenders, but among older inmates, there are not a few who repeatedly commit crimes and cycle in and out of prison. By offense type, theft is the most common at 33%.
The rise in elderly inmates has changed the way the prison operates. Hirotsugu Hori, head of general affairs, explained, "Many older inmates need help with daily life. Some need assistance bathing, and others need help with meals. Managing medications is also necessary."
In practice, the prison seemed closer in some respects to a care facility than a conventional correctional institution. In addition to correctional officers, it had two doctors, four nurses, one pharmacist, one occupational therapist, three psychologists, six education specialists, and five staff members in charge of international affairs. Some employees are qualified as care workers and are responsible for looking after elderly inmates.
Materials provided by the prison also showed staff assisting inmates in wheelchairs, nurses conducting regular health consultations, and occupational therapists running rehabilitation programs. In some cases, inmates are transferred to outside medical institutions for surgery or inpatient treatment.
Meals are also adjusted with older inmates in mind. Those who have difficulty chewing or swallowing are given porridge, and vegetables are served chopped into small pieces.
This way of operating Tochigi Prison will not last much longer. Japan's Ministry of Justice plans to close the prison in March 2028, as the number of female inmates is declining nationwide and the facility has become severely outdated. The current inmates will later be distributed among other women's correctional facilities.
sjmary@fnnews.com Seo Hye-jin Reporter