The Dark Side of Japan: Prison Parties & Foreigners Behind Bars | Dispatch | Japan HD Documentary

In Japan, a country which operates on strict principles of balance and order, we gained unprecedented filming access to two Japanese prisons to find out if accusations that the justice system is inhumane are true.

What we uncovered was staggering. Inmates must march to their worksites attached by a cord; they are not allowed to look the guards in the eye; outside of scheduled leisure hours, they must maintain absolute silence, unless they have obtained prior permission to speak. We also witnessed the stark contrast between these cruel conditions and the extravagant prison festivals and parties, staged as elaborate PR stunts to conceal the harsh realities within these institutions.

We try to explain why a country which operates on strict principles of balance and order might choose such a repressive system, and see if this may explain Japan having one of the lowest crime rates in the world.

This documentary was first released in 2020.

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