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No halal foods are served in detention centers for foreign nationals in Japan

56 Comments

An Immigration Services Agency of Japan spokesperson. The agency said detainees are treated in accordance with the lifestyle of their home country but no rule is in place for the content of meals served at detention centers across the country, despite calls to serve Muslim detainees halal food.

© Asahi Shimbun

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56 Comments

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Neither should they be. This is Japan. If you want Halal food in detention then go break laws in Pakistan or Saudi Arabia.

14 ( +26 / -12 )

How about gluten free? Vegan?

10 ( +13 / -3 )

Reply to @Mr Kipling,

No Muslim should ever be given Haram food even if they "broke laws".

And what I understand from your saying is that "only Pakistan and Saudi Arabia have halal food." No, You're totally wrong, There are a lot of Muslim countries that have Halal food.

-9 ( +6 / -15 )

Maybe the Muslim Community Centres in large cities could provide Halal food.

I would of thought it depends on how hungry you get when refusing food.

0 ( +4 / -4 )

I got an idea. Why not deport them all so they can enjoy whatever food in their lovely homeland ?

11 ( +16 / -5 )

It seems that most chicken sold in Japan is Halal. Check the 2kg packs of imported chicken. The exporting countries such as Brasil export chicken to many different markets and for that reason produce Halal chicken as it can sell in both Muslim and non-Muslim markets.

I do not know the Halal requirement for fish, but vegetables should be OK.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

MOlka....

And what I understand from your saying is that "only Pakistan and Saudi Arabia have halal food."

Then you misunderstood. Those are just two example of where criminals will get halal food in detention.

I wonder how many Muslim countries serve those in detention "special" meals?

4 ( +10 / -6 )

The following is just one of several rules required for preparing Halal food.

Animals must be slaughtered in accordance with Islamic Law. Halal animals are slaughtered to express respect to them and to thank Allah for the gift of providing clean and healthy food. The act of slaughtering must assure the animal suffers as minimal pain as possible. The slaughterer must be an adult Muslim.

https://study.com/academy/lesson/halal-food-preparation.html

Good luck getting that done in Japan! This ain't western Europe, folks.

8 ( +8 / -0 )

Better not get arrested then, looks like you won’t have to worry how much time they give you.

0 ( +4 / -4 )

Muslims and Jews have similar (practically identical) dietary laws. From what I know, a Jewish person who can only get otherwise forbidden food is allowed to eat just enough to sustain him or herself and no more. Likely this is the same for Muslims.

That said, there is nothing exotic about the food Jews and Muslims are allowed to eat. Thus, it should not be a problem to get the religiously proper food for Muslims, Jews and others.

-2 ( +3 / -5 )

Animals must be slaughtered in accordance with Islamic Law

Lolll. This is not about how animals are prepared. To be halal compliant you must BUY a certificate. If you sell potato chips at supermarket you pay. If you run a restaurant you pay. One flavor of chips is one certificate. One item in the menu is one certificate. And it has to be renewed every year. And if you don't pay ? You will get negative certificate, that is your products are declared HARAM. Then you lose your business. Maybe even get imprisoned. It's that biggest shake down ring ever.

9 ( +9 / -0 )

It’s immigration detention, not religious detention.

There is no reason the government should pay money (our tax dollars) to Muslim religious organizations for their official stamp of approval.

If the kind of food you want is of paramount concern, voluntarily deport and fight your Japanese visa status from abroad.

7 ( +10 / -3 )

Jeans and T-Shirt..

The question isn't 'do' they, but 'should' they. What do you think?

I think all these dietary restrictions are part of the mind control religions put on their subjects. So, no they shouldn't be served anywhere.

-1 ( +6 / -7 )

Don't break the law in Japan as a muslim, if you don't want to be fed 'forbidden foods', period.

4 ( +8 / -4 )

And? So what? You think if I’m locked up in a Muslim prison they would serve me a fried pork sandwich? They would look at me like I’m crazy. I’m in their country and I eat what they have, that’s it and if I don’t like it, then I shouldn’t put myself in criminal jeopardy to risk my freedom where I would be subjected to eating their food.

Don’t complain and don’t demand, keep your nose clean, follow the rules and laws and will never have to worry about violating your religious dietary laws and if you do get locked up then you eat what they have, you won’t die, and you’ll be fine.

5 ( +13 / -8 )

I believe that Halal only refers to meet. If the meat is not prepared to their liking then there is always fish, vegetables and soup. There is no need to prepare Halal-certified meat.

2 ( +4 / -2 )

Most people here don't even know what vegetarian means, so good luck with that.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

Nobody should be served halal food.

The slaughter process is brutal and causing unnecessary pain and suffering. Just look it up yourself on YT.

Religious beliefs should not come before animal welfare. and compassion.

1 ( +4 / -3 )

Does your religion dictate that you eat fried pork sandwiches? They probably wouldn't serve you fillet mignon in demi-glace sauce with potatoes fondantes either. They're prisons, not restaurants. 

You are making my point for me.

Why don't you believe in human rights?

I do, until you break the law.

Also, not every one in detention deserves to be there. There's false imprisonment, political prisoners, POWs, pre and mid-trial detention when you are presumed innocent, for example

Then you have to work through the proper channels to get out or to prove your innocence or whatever bureaucratic legal hurdles you have to deal with to get out if that’s the case.

-2 ( +3 / -5 )

so all the people in prison are guilty

Not every single one, but most and by the way, I’m not talking about innocent people, so to even trying to imply innocent people in this conversation when I was specifically talking about criminals is a bit sneaky.

and what of those are in detention. Meals in prison is usually fish or sometimes chicken never pork. 

Whatever, eat or don’t eat.

Your own country provides religious meals to prisoners requesting them.

And? Doesn’t mean I think that it’s right. I think sometimes in my country we give criminals too many rights.

-4 ( +1 / -5 )

Detainees don't have that freedom, therefore it's incumbent on the facility to provide suitable meals in the case of religion-based requirements. 

I disagree, I believe once you commit a crime and you are in the penal system then you are subject to its rules and regulations and whatever dietary laws that they have and you have forfeited your rights of someone that has now been convicted of a crime, you should not be mistreated, you should not be harmed, but that’s it.

I wish people wouldn't break the law too. But I still believe those that do still have some rights.

Well, we we’ll just have to agree to disagree. When you have someone that murdered someone’s family and their relatives have to now live with the fact that their loved one is not coming back and the person that killed their family member is sitting in the prison and eating three square meals a day and having the choice of food that they want, wouldn’t sit well with most people, I think like that.

And in the meantime, have your human rights stripped from you. Again, why don't you believe in human rights?

again, you should not be mistreated, you should not be abused, you should not be neglected, but I don’t think that anyone should have the right to ask for a certain dietary requirement unless it is medically necessary, then by all means, other than that you should get no preferential treatment when it comes to food, you should eat the same food as everyone else regardless of race or religion or ethnicity.

0 ( +4 / -4 )

Considering the scale of Buddhism in Japan and the fact that Buddhists often practise veganism, which is inclusive of Hinduism's vegetarianism, I wonder whether the centers would be accomodating of vegan food?

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

No Muslim should ever be given Haram food even if they "broke laws".

The food served in Japanese prisons is not considered to be "forbidden" by the Japanese.

If Muslims are so concerned about the food they eat, then perhaps they should not break laws that get them prison time in Japan. They are not customers on a cruise ship where they can expect such "customs" to be catered for.

2 ( +4 / -2 )

If Muslims are so concerned about the food they eat, then perhaps they should not break laws that get them prison time in Japan. They are not customers on a cruise ship where they can expect such "customs" to be catered for.

Exactly!

0 ( +4 / -4 )

It is not a restaurant, it is a detention center!!! If you have not committed a crime, you would be able to eat whatever you like. In a detention center, you eat whatever crap they serve you or go hungry and then they will force feed you with whatever crap they like!

1 ( +4 / -3 )

so foreign prisoners should not be allowed a Bible in case it is used as an offensive weapon which it is.

Depends on the country. Each country can decide what’s appropriate and what’s not.

Recent JT story about a prisoner who had his glasses taken away even though it would be considered a medical device to help him see. You think prisoners should have no civil or human rights. In your country that would usually cause a riot. Platitudes.

I never said that, do not put words in my mouth, what I am saying is when it comes to dietary laws, you eat what is given to you and what they have, you were not at a buffet where you can decide to give an order of what you like and what you don’t like, if you do have a medical condition of certain foods that you cannot eat, that is understandable and I am talking specifically about food I am not talking about other things such as reading glasses that is pretty much allowed in every nation regardless of religion or ethnicity, we were talking about food and as long as the person who gets to eat three meals a day and has enough to drink then the basic requirements of sustenance is reached. Again, if you’re not happy with that, don’t commit a crime. It’s that simple. Do you think the worlds prisons should all be like in Sweden or Finland? These places are more like luxury hotels, give me a break, prison is not supposed to be fun, it’s to punish and to re-form or re-educate people have committed a crime, It’s not Club Med.

0 ( +3 / -3 )

You still didn't answer my question, which means the answer is "no." So you are equating not being able to eat something that has nothing to do with your religion with being forced to eat something that is against your religion. It's far from the same thing.

No, I am saying when you are in prison you either eat what they give you or you don’t eat.

But freedom from mistreatment (which I would argue includes being forced to eat food that doesn't conform to your beliefs) and harm, are basic human rights, like freedom of speech and freedom of religion.

again, I don’t think it matters, prison is not designed to accommodate you or to make you feel better or to appease you, you were there for one reason and that is you have committed a crime and you are there to be rehabilitated and accept that fate

I'm not sure that you can pick and choose which human rights apply to certain people. Either everyone has rights, or no one does.

I will say it again, in prison you have the right to be treated as a human being, you have the right to be protected and abused and to serve out your time and you have the right to eat and drink and you should be able to have counsel if possible, other than that you don’t have any other rights to demand anything.

Protecting human rights is a standard to which you should hold your country, and similar ones. Particularly if you criticise other countries for not doing so.

I do and you’re conflating human rights with dietary laws. I have never criticized a country for the penal systems and what dietary laws they provide to their inmates, that is the least of my concerns, as long as they are allowed three meals a day.

If you have to come up with such an extreme example to make a point, you don't have much of a point.

Oh, I always do bet on that.

What about someone in for three months for a drug possession charge? Strip them of all rights? A shoplifter? Drunk driver? 

Then you do the time, simple. Look, I don’t have sympathy for people that do things they shouldn’t that is why I don’t have problems. I’m careful. I love smoking weed, but I won’t even risk it for a second on Japan because I know I could lose everything. So out of sight and out of mind.

Even if that country recognises their rights in their Constitution, or in their laws, or if they are signatories to proclamations from organisations such as the UN, for example? I'd also add that Islamic countries (and Islam itself) recognise that non-Muslim prisoners have the right to practice their religion. (Whether they protect those rights or not is another question.)

Well, then that depends on the country if they want to honor that, if they don’t and if a country says we don’t honor any particular religion, we just have always in certain ways of dealing with inmates equally, then that’s how it’s going to be, and just deal with it, not that hard to figure out.

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

Do you think prisoners should lose their freedom of religion protection in the constitution? What about Jews/Muslims only in detention they too should have no rights.

I’m not saying that, but if you are in a country like Japan that is pretty much non-religious, now you’re telling the Japanese have to conform to your religious ideology in order to accommodate you, that seems nuts to me, and I will say it again that would never happen if you’re in a Muslim nation, they’re not gonna sit there and accommodate you for the most part especially when it comes to your dietary needs.

I remember when your country dropped millions of emergency rations on Kosovo with pork in them.

Ok and? It was food was it not?

The loss of freedom is their punishment.

So you are alright with thousands of Uyghurs in Chinese prisons having zero rights?

Go back and scroll what I wrote and slowly please for the answer again

Was it acceptable to you that foreigners could not return to Japan during the pandemic even though they had jobs and homes or universities? Our country and our rules.

You’re going off a tangent now….

We do not know how many Muslims are in prison. Very difficult to find figures but I suspect not so many because our prison numbers are 2.5% of those in your country.

Even in Gitmo prisoners have Halal food and the Quran

because that is the rule of the US government and not to mention we have Muslims as well as Jews and other religions residing in the US, so we have historically been culturally more of an understanding to various religions in the dietary laws, but the mini country that don’t and those countries are in now way obligated to have to change or adopt new dietary laws to accommodate inmates if they choose not to. Don’t get yourself caught up in the prison system or you don’t have to worry about it.

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

So, rocks? Human excrement? Poisonous mushrooms and berries? A shoe?

Don’t even go there! Whatever the prison serve in Japan whatever the inmates eat in Japan that’s what everyone should eat that is incarcerated, so if it’s Ramen, then it’s Ramen if it’s tonkatsu then it’s tonkatsu!

-1 ( +2 / -3 )

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