Japan investigating repeated assaults by guards at prison

By MARI YAMAGUCHI
Associated Press

TOKYO (AP) — Japan’s Justice Ministry has disclosed that more than 20 prison guards repeatedly pushed, slapped and used other forms of physical violence against a group of inmates at a prison in central Japan, raising questions about the extent of prison abuse in the country. Justice Minister Ken Saito says the assaults at Nagoya Prison were discovered in August when a prison guard spotted an inmate with an eye injury. An internal probe found that 22 prison officials routinely abused some inmates. Saito says the assaults were especially problematic because fatal bullying at the same prison two decades ago had prompted prison reforms. Japanese prisons are known for strict discipline.