2 Provision of food, medical care, health guards, etc.

Inmates are provided with food and drink (hot water and tea, etc.) within the daily cost of meals (budget) per adult inmate, which was 515.21 yen (102.14 yen for main dishes and 413.07 yen for side dishes) in FY 2012 (Source: The Correction Bureau, Ministry of Justice). The content and amount of food are decided with particular attention paid to the elderly, pregnant women, those engaging in heavy work, and those who cannot eat regular meals due to religious reasons, etc. Inmates are also lent or supplied with clothing, bedding, and other daily necessities, while also being permitted to use self-supplied daily necessities, etc. (purchased at their own expense or received from outside). The direct daily cost (budget) required to imprison an inmate in a penal institution was 1,536 yen in FY 2012.

Medical doctors and other medical specialists are allocated to penal institutions to engage in medical treatment and health related work. Furthermore, four medical prisons (Hachioji, Okazaki, Osaka, and Kitakyushu Prisons) have been established as penal institutions specialized in medical treatment. In addition, six prisons (Sapporo, Miyagi, Fuchu, Nagoya, Hiroshima, and Fukuoka Prisons) have been designated as institutions with priority to medical treatment. Both medical equipment and medical specialists have been intensively assigned to the above 10 institutions.