CountryJapan
Ministry responsible
Ministry of Justice
Prison administration
Correction Bureau
Contact address
1-1-1 Kasumigaseki, Chiyoda-Ku, Tokyo 100 - 8977, Japan
Telephone
+81 3 3580 4111
Website
Head of prison administration (and title)
Shinji Ogawa
Director General
Prison population total (including pre-trial detainees / remand prisoners)
45 714
at 31.5.2021 (via Asian & Pacific Conference of Correctional Administrators)
Prison population rate (per 100,000 of national population)
36
based on an estimated national population of 125.29 million at end of May 2021 (from Japanese government statistics bureau figures)
Pre-trial detainees / remand prisoners (percentage of prison population)
12.4%
(31.5.2021)
Female prisoners (percentage of prison population)
8.6%
(31.5.2021)
Juveniles / minors / young prisoners incl. definition (percentage of prison population)
0.0%
(0.04% at 31.12.2014 - under 20; not including juveniles in classification homes and training schools)
Foreign prisoners (percentage of prison population)
7.0%
(31.5.2021)
Number of establishments / institutions
184
(2018 - comprising 62 adult prisons, 8 branch prisons, 6 juvenile prisons, 8 detention houses and 100 branch detention houses. The prison administration has responsibility also for juvenile classification homes and juvenile training schools, whose occupants are not included in the prison population.)
Official capacity of prison system
89 310
(31.12.2018)
Occupancy level (based on official capacity)
56.6%
(31.12.2018)
Prison population trend
(year, prison population total, prison population rate)
2000 61,242 48
2002 69,502 55
2004 76,413 60
2006 81,255 64
2008 76,881 60
2010 72,975 57
2012 67,008 53
2014 60,486 48
2016 55,967 44
2018 50,578 40
2020 46,524 37
2000 61,242 48
2002 69,502 55
2004 76,413 60
2006 81,255 64
2008 76,881 60
2010 72,975 57
2012 67,008 53
2014 60,486 48
2016 55,967 44
2018 50,578 40
2020 46,524 37

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Pre-trial/remand prison population: trend

The table below gives an indication of the recent trend in the pre-trial/remand prison population. The final row shows the latest figures available.

It consists of the number of pre-trial/remand prisoners in the prison population on a single date in the year (or the annual average) and the percentage of the total prison population that pre-trial/remand prisoners constituted on that day.  

The final column shows the pre-trial/remand population rate per 100,000 of the national population. 

                                                    JAPAN

Year

Number in
pre-trial/remand
imprisonment

Percentage
of total
prison population

Pre-trial/remand
population rate
(per 100,000 of
national population)

2000
2005
2010
2015

11,062
10,654
7,973
6,462

18.1%
13.5%
10.9%
11.0%

9
8
6
5

2021

5,687

12.4%

5

It should be noted that the number of pre-trial/remand prisoners fluctuates from day to day, month to month and year to year. Consequently the above figures give an indication of the trend but the picture is inevitably incomplete.

The pre-trial/remand population rate is calculated on the basis of the national population total. All national population figures are inevitably estimates but the estimates used in the World Prison Brief are based on official national figures, United Nations figures or figures from other recognised international authorities. 

Female prison population: trend

The table below gives an indication of the trend in the female prison population. The final row shows the latest figures available.

It consists of the number of female prisoners in the prison population on a single date in the year (or the annual average) and the percentage of the total prison population that female prisoners constituted on that day. 

The final column shows the female prison population rate per 100,000 of the national population.

                                                     JAPAN

Year

Number of
female
prisoners

Percentage
of total
prison population

Female prison
population rate
(per 100,000 of
national population)

2000
2005
2010
2015

3,302
4,839
5,343
4,875

5.4%
6.1%
7.3%
8.3%

2.6
3.8
4.2
3.8

2021

3,951

8.6%

3.2

The number of female prisoners fluctuates and so the above figures give an indication of the trend but the picture is inevitably incomplete.

The female prison population rate is calculated on the basis of the national population total. All national population figures are inevitably estimates but the estimates used in the World Prison Brief are based on official national figures, United Nations figures or figures from other recognised international authorities.

(If the rate were calculated on the basis of the number of females in the national population it would of course be approximately double the figure in the final column).

Prison population total
Prison population rate