[/floatl]Osaka Prison in Sakai has decided that fat prisoners should be put on a diet of rice porridge (okayu). The Osaka Bar Association has lodged a protest after five prisoners appealed to them, claiming this amounts to a violation of their rights. According to the lawyers group, the prison decided to introduce the police for inmates with high blood pressure and bulging waistlines as long ago as 2005. It mainly entails substituting boiled rice for the watery gruel. One 50 year old prisoner, who was on the diet for sixteen months, went from 70kg to 55kg. The lawyers say that this prisoner had no desire to be on the diet and there was no compelling medical reason which required such measures. They argue that the policy is in direct conflict with the duty of care as laid out by laws governing the treatment of prisoners. Osaka Prison had no immediate comment.
From the Asahi (Japanese)
