Man attempts suicide at detention center in Saitama

Police performed first aid on the man and he was taken to a hospital, where he remained unconscious and in critical condition on Monday.

According to sources, the man was arrested on May 12 on charges of obstruction of official duty, after he spat on a policeman.

Ironic isn't it?

According to sources, the man was arrested on May 12 on charges of obstruction of official duty, after he spat on a policeman

LOL if this guy wasn't behaving badly in the first place he may never had been arrested

Poor guy. Probably not the best of ideas to spit on plod but still...

It happened in a cell in Kawaguchi police station. Calling it a "detention center" is a bit strange.

This is the unjust ability of cops to hold people for long periods of time. In a democracy, people should have a right to a day in court and a speedy trial. There is no reason given here to hold him for such a long period. It's torture. Japan has a backwards system. The accused have a weak realization of rights while the convicted often walk away free.

"Let's strangle him with the shirt and say it was a suicide" certainly isn't beyond the realms of possibility here, right? So, given the circumstances, shouldn't someone be following up on this?

No?

OK then carry on.

The police can keep you for 23 days for any offense without charge.. You just have to focus on the 23 days and keep your mouth shut. Easy really, if you are strong enough. Most Japanese are not so break and try to top themselves.

This man would have to have appeared before a Judge within 48 hours of arrest. Surely this could have been dealt with then.

The man is self-employed and lives in Kawaguchi, police said.

That level of detail though!

shallots May 22 07:19 pm JST

This is the unjust ability of cops to hold people for long periods of time. In a democracy, people should have a right to a day in court and a speedy trial.

Sherman May 22 11:23 pm JST

The police can keep you for 23 days for any offense without charge.

All wrong. You should know your rights. Police cannot arrest a person without a judge's warrant, except a crime takes place in front of a police officer, a case where citizen's arrest is possible in common law countries.

An arrest is good for 48 hours, NOT 23 days. A public prosecutor, rather than a police officer, may request a judge to issue a detention warrant that is good for 10 days, and the judge must hear the suspect before issuing a detention warrant. At the end of the 10 day period, a public prosecutor may request additional 10 day detention, and the judge must, once again, hear the suspect before extending the detention warrant.

You're correct C3PO, but in practice the judges never deny the extension of detention. So it essentially amounts to a formality, rather than an actual process meant to prevent suspects from being unreasonably detained.