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
Arrest FAQ: What You Need to Know
Where Are Foreign Nationals Incarcerated?
Are Foreigners Held at Immigration Offices?
What Happens When Imprisonment Begins?
Life and Food in Japanese Prisons
Prison Labor and Rehabilitation
Exercise and Adjusting to Prison Life
Consequences for Breaking Rules
What Happens After You Leave Prison?
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](https://www.japaneselawtranslation.go.jp/en/laws/view/3739#je_pt1ch4at20:~:text=Article%2039(1,prepare%20for%20defense.) 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:
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?
Click here to read more.
- External Link
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33 Comments
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TaiwanIsNotChina
One thing is for sure: this should be handed out to foreign arrivals so they know what their rights are, such as it is.
wallace
Avoid behavior that gets you arrested and detained. Not a way to spend a vacation. In 2023, about 3,000 foreigners were in prison.
TaiwanIsNotChina
Not always that simple. Wasn't there a story about shrines being upset with people walking off with ema that they paid for? Also there are stories about people being arrested just for being in a bad accident.
kurisupisu
Easier said than done when just by leaving your hotel without a passport may lead to your arrest…
sakurasuki
No you don't lose, still have right to meet with lawyer and have right to remain silent. Of course that can be vary from case to case.
Dragon
Not all arrests lead to prison.
sakurasuki
Yes, prison if someone got verdict from judge. What matters, depend on the case, is the detention period whether that case will go further or not. Debito Arudou have many information on this, about how to insist your right, not all people being detained are guilty.
WA4TKG
You’re going to loose about 10kg of weight and no more junk food, that’s for sure
wallace
In the Japanese criminal justice system, the flow from initial detention to post-court sentencing generally follows this path: Pre-court detention centers (police custody) are followed by prosecution, then potential trial and conviction leading to prison sentences or other post-court penalties.
TaiwanIsNotChina
And that is why you need a humane legal system with copious amounts of lawyers.
TaiwanIsNotChina
But it shouldn't and it also shouldn't result in you being subjected to 48 straight hours of interrogation.
quercetum
Soapy and Riker’s Island don’t compare to Japanese prisons. Look at the picture of how clean that cell is with bedding and a TV and windows.
Food looks like a school cafeteria made with nutritionist designed menus.
stormcrow
Some Japanese lawyers told me it’s a very fine line between the police and yakuza, so be careful not to enrage the police whenever you’re confronted by them.
Starbucks
You’re going to loose about 10kg of weight and no more junk food, that’s for sure
Sign me up. Every timid I visit Japan I put on 5kg.
wallace
Many non-Japanese will not like prison food.
"Japanese prison meals typically feature rice and barley (sometimes 3:7 ratio), grilled fish, small and medium-sized dishes, and miso soup. A budget of about 520 yen (approximately $3.30 USD) per prisoner is allocated for three meals daily. Meals are designed to be nutritious and balanced, including a variety of vegetables, protein sources like fish or meat, and staples like rice or noodles. "
We went to PRISON! What Breakfast in Japanese Prison is like!
https://youtu.be/Va5SrNsFbxc?si=5VeOoUMUKUU6LhXS
JeffLee
That's certainly no guarantee. My co-worker's friend was a passenger in a car carrying several people where cops found drugs in the glove compartment. He had nothing to do with the drugs, yet he was tossed in detention, lost his job, and his family was absolutely clueless as to his whereabouts for a couple of weeks.
owzer
Those sound suspiciously like… (wait for it) … like stories!
Japantime
The best way to avoid prison is to follow the rules. This sounds simple but most foreigners aren’t able to do that. I have seen many foreigners take drugs and assault local people. Most of the fights I have seen in Japan involve foreigners.
TokyoLiving
Japan is a country of order and laws..
Follow the law, obey the rules..
Otherwise, jail and deportation await you..
GuruMick
But I like to sleep in until around 10am.....then have a strong coffee while I stretch and wake up.
Will I lose these rights ?
fallaffel
So is basically every other country in the world. And just like in any other country, you can be wrongly arrested for some random reason that's put of your control.
Yohan
Good summary. However I miss some information about what will happen in case you are getting ill, or if you need regular medication.
What about medical care while in detention? What about elderly people?
@Japan Glimpsed
For the above one might land in jail. Not prison.
Dr Tyrell
Anyone visiting a foreign country should act like a guest and adopt any local cultural custom. If it's too much for that person, they should avoid visiting. One is an example of their origin country.
sakurasuki
Lawyering up it's really important immediately during detention, his family will know his whereabouts if he lawyered up few days after detention. Too bad he didn't do that at that time.
wallace
In most cases, you cannot see a lawyer until the police have finished with you. You can request an interpreter; depending on your language, one may be available. Do not sign anything in Japanese that you do not understand.
stormcrow
“That’s certainly no guarantee.”
No, indeed. Some Japanese police (not all) have been known to plant evidence when in the mood to arrest and convict. Also, they can arrest you and hold you for weeks on end without legal representation, during this time they can harass you as much as they want until you confess and sign a document entirely in Japanese saying so. This way, the judge’s job is made that much simpler as he sentences you with punishment regardless of signing your own confession under duress. The police are also happy because their phenomenal arrest and conviction rate is maintained and held up like a trophy for the world to admire.
nishikat
Stupid question, but I know maybe two minor crimes where the suspect was held for a shorter time but things were worked out and they were released (one was shoplifting) with an early confession, etc. Not super news worthy but their respective employers still found out and they lost their jobs. Unless it's newsworthy and/or someone tells the office, how would your employer know unless you are gone for a considerable time? I heard the police go through your wallet and find your employer ID and let workplace know their staff member is being held. However, according to this article, there is no indication of that. What is the real story on this?
Mr Kipling
They will go through your wallet and all possessions with you on arrest at the police station. They will also go through your phone. They will not notify your employer or anyone else. However, your lawyer is able to do this if you request it.
nishikat
Makes sense. If it's a minor non newsworthy crime (expected to be free soon) and the lawyer tells the family the family can then make up an excuse to the employer
.. hospitalization etc. and it might work out they are not fired. But I did hear from a company manager that employees are not necessarily fired due to minor crimes (at least at his workplace) and case by case basis....wait and see
Regarding the phone....be sure to encrypt with a good PIN number. Face/finger scan no good for privacy rights.
GuruMick
In a country with no right of Police or Judicial oversight, those posting " dont do anything wrong and all will be well " are living in a fools world.
Police routinely plant evidence, fake or force confessions, hold you under duress without sleep etc....and thats world wide.
I wonder what the suicides and suicide attempt numbers are in all forms of Japanese detention.
Sick system, employing sick people.
Ego Sum Lux Mundi
If you have a strong affiliation and accreditation to a major religious organization, these situations can often be expedited quickly in your favor. The Japanese authorities are very reluctant to upset major religions.
WA4TKG
As soon as your trial is over and assuming you don’t get thrown in the slammer, Immigration will be standing right there asking for your passport, as if you walk around with it every living day