By KOSUKE TAUCHI/ Staff Writer
December 19, 2022 at 15:47 JST
A Nagoya Prison building (Asahi Shimbun file photo)
Twenty-two correctional officers at Nagoya Prison abused three inmates hundreds of times through violence and hateful language from November 2021 to August this year, according to sources knowledgeable of the matter.
There were more than 400 instances where they used inappropriate language and engaged in violent behavior against three male inmates in their 40s to 60s.
More than 100 of these cases constituted assault, which included hitting the inmates in the face and on their hands, grabbing them by their collars, spraying them with an alcohol disinfectant used for combatting COVID-19 and beating their buttocks with a sandal.
“The wrongfulness and frequency of attacks varied among the 22 officers, but all committed unacceptable acts as correctional officers,” said a source close to the ministry.
One correctional officer had assaulted inmates 10 times alone, while some of the other officers did not physically assault anyone but used abusive language and ignored an inmate.
Justice Minister Ken Saito revealed the problems at a news conference on Dec. 9, but did not disclose details about how many instances of assault were committed by correctional officers.
The Justice Ministry is expected to soon set up a panel of experts to sort out the horrendous problems at the prison and take corrective measures to prevent their recurrence.
The sources said 16 of the 22 officers were hired within the past three years. They apparently told the ministry that they assaulted the inmates because they “did not follow instructions, yelled loudly and repeatedly made demands,” the sources said.
The Nagoya Regional Correction Headquarters is expected to interview correctional officers and inmates and review surveillance camera footage.
The ministry is also expected to investigate into whether similar incidents have occurred at other prisons around the country.
This is not the first time the prison has made national headlines for shocking abuse against prisoners.
From 2001 to 2002, abuse by guards at Nagoya Prison led to the deaths or injuries of three inmates, including through using a fire hose to blast water into an inmate’s anal cavity and constricting their abdomens with leather bindings.
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