TOKYO – The Justice Ministry will launch a pilot program next fiscal year to provide specialized treatment for prison inmates with severe behavioral disorders that cause them to harm themselves or others. At Tokyo’s Fuchu Prison, rooms will be set up that are designed to help inmates calm down, while correctional officers will receive training from specialists on how to respond to these prisoners’ behavioral needs.
According to the Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry, severe behavioral disorders are characterized by frequent episodes of extreme behavior, including self-injury, aggression toward others and destruction of property. Such conditions do not represent congenital disabilities, but are believed to be triggered by factors such as sensitivity to external stimuli, including light and sound, as well as anxiety and stress arising from uncertainty about what is about to happen.
The initiative follows the implementation of a revised Penal Code in June 2025 that places greater emphasis on rehabilitating prisoners and keeping them from reoffending. The changes allow prisons to tailor their treatment of each inmate to their age and individual characteristics. The Justice Ministry hopes to expand the program to other prisons if the pilot proves effective.
Under the Law on Penal Detention Facilities and Treatment of Inmates and Detainees, prison wardens may order inmates to be placed in protective cells if they are deemed likely to harm themselves or others or damage prison property.
But moving agitated inmates into such cells can lead to confrontations, raising the risk of injury to both inmates and correctional officers. To prevent self-harm or property damage, protective cells contain almost no furnishings, and inmates who are being held in them cannot participate in regular prison work or rehabilitation programs. Such interruptions could hinder their eventual reintegration into society. The need for constant monitoring also places a considerable burden on prison staff.
To address these problems, Fuchu Prison will install several rooms with sound insulation and light-blocking features next fiscal year, under the supervision of a psychiatrist. When inmates begin showing signs of agitation, correctional officers will encourage them to enter the rooms, with the goal of helping them return to regular prison activities sooner than if they had been placed in protective cells.
Correctional officers will also receive training from psychiatrists, social welfare professionals and other specialists to deepen their understanding of severe behavioral disorders. The prison will experiment with different room configurations, including ones that help inmates relax with music and different wall colors, to determine which features are most effective.
Similar facilities, known as calm-down spaces, have become increasingly common in airports, schools and other public places in recent years. Several were also installed at the 2025 Osaka-Kansai Expo.
“We want to prevent problematic behavior before it occurs by adapting the surrounding environment to inmates’ individual needs,” a senior Justice Ministry official said. “By ensuring that inmates can continue receiving the education and rehabilitation programs they need without interruption, we hope to help them make a smooth transition back into society.”
ANN/The Yomiuri Shimbun