Servicemen Behind Bars

[Mulboyne]

Asahi: A peek at life behind bars for U.S. servicemen
With its sprawling U.S. naval base, Yokosuka has its share of crimes involving U.S. service personnel...I recently visited the Yokosuka branch of the Yokohama Prison, the only penal institution in Japan whose inmates include members of the U.S. military. As of Aug. 1, 14 American servicemen were doing time at the Yokosuka prison, which has a capacity of 257: seven members of the Navy, four from the Marines and three from the Air Force. There was none from the Army. At the prison, they are called "F-class prisoners," with the F standing for "foreigner." Up to 100 U.S. Armed Forces personnel were incarcerated here in around 1978, but in recent years, the number has been less than 20...Both Japanese and foreign inmates follow the same daily routine. After rising at 6:50 a.m., they eat breakfast. Then they work at factories inside the prison from 7:35 a.m. to noon. After lunch and an exercise break, they go back to work. They eat dinner at 4:55 p.m. Bedtime is 9 p.m...While many of the Japanese inmates were middle-aged or older with some gray hair, the youthful muscularity of many of the U.S. servicemen stood out. The average age of Japanese prisoners is 44, while that of the U.S. servicemen is 28...There are differences, however, in how Japanese and U.S. prisoners are treated at the prison. The biggest difference is that the Americans receive "supplementary food." Once a week, a supply of milk, frozen meat and fish, canned food and other products arrives from the Yokosuka Naval Base for them...That extra food is a result of the Status of Forces Agreement between Japan and the United States...This separate treatment has been a frequent target of criticism in the Diet...Hence, in May, the Yokosuka prison started serving the same menu to Japanese and American prisoners on a trial basis...more...

[bolt_krank]

I think it's a good idea to treat both in the same way.
That being said before the Diet starts complaining about it - it should look at the reverse side of things, i.e. treatment of foreigners in Japanese prisons.

[Kanchou]

The average American servicemen would probably starve to death on the rations given to Japanese prisoners, so I don't think it's like they're getting "special" treatment, just different treatment. The minimum amount of calories to stay healthy are much lower for Japanese than for Americans (apparently).

A friend of mine says that 1500-1800 calories a day is normal for a Japanese man, whereas for an American male, that would be a fairly serious diet, since 2800 or more calories a day is normal...depending on body type.

[canman]

2800 calories a day. That is a lot of food my friend. Now its not Michael Phelps type of calories, but I thought that 2000 was average for an adult male. Maybe that is why North America has such a weight crisis going on.

[kurohinge1]

2800 calories a day. That is a lot of food my friend. Now its not Michael Phelps type of calories, but I thought that 2000 was average for an adult male. Maybe that is why North America has such a weight crisis going on.

Well, I understand that it's a trade off - cost wise. If they keep the servicemen "well fed", they don't need as many bars across their cells to confine them.

[GuyJean]

[Taro Toporific]

I surprised that the ol' jailbird Greji hasn't explained, but this is just a six-of-one-and-a-half-dozen-of-another situation.

Most prisoners in Japan are expected to supplement their meager meal rations buy buying "bento" and snacks at the prison canteen.
This is a scam to relieve the prisoners from their 50yen/hr wages (and the "bento" companies have to pay a kickback to the prison officials).

If the US servicemen did not get the larger ration, the US government would have to deposit money to their the canteen accounts of the serviceman just as Japanese families do for Japanese prisoners (deposits only via the genkin futo system). This is just another tax on Japan for keeping China and Lil' Kim from invading.

[Kanchou]

2800 calories a day. That is a lot of food my friend. Now its not Michael Phelps type of calories, but I thought that 2000 was average for an adult male. Maybe that is why North America has such a weight crisis going on.

No, 2000 calories is closer to the dietary needs for a woman.

It's what they right on food labels, but it has little to do with an actual healthy diet for a full sized adult male.

You can calculate your daily needs on NutritionData.com

Mine is about 3000... I try to keep it below 2000 because I'm on a diet.

Michael Phelps on the other hand eats 12,000 calories a day.

Apparently an hour of tennis (singles) burns over 700 calories.