Kusatsu Special Prison was a prison that operated between 1938 and 1947, in Kuryu Rakusen-en Sanatorium in Kusatsu Onsen, Kusatsu town, Gunma Prefecture, Japan, where criminals in public leprosariums throughout Japan were imprisoned. Prisons for conventional crimes had been built earlier in all public leprosariums. 22 out of 93 prisoners died of cold or maltreatment in the cells or after confinement. In Japanese, it was called Tokubetsu Byoshitsu or Jyu Kanbo.
Related history
In 1909, the first public leprosy policy started in Japan, creating public leprosariums which accommodated wandering lepers; some of them criminals. In 1915, the treatment of criminals was discussed by leprosarium directors. In 1916, the leprosy prevention law was amended and this time, decisions of confinement and custody could be made by directors of leprosariums, reduction of meals and 30-day confinement in a leprosarium. Between 1912 and 1951, several riots took place in leprosariums.
The prison
Kusatsu Special Prison was completed at the end of 1938. There were 8 independent cells; each cell was less than 4.5m in size, with wooden floors with a hole as a latrine. There was a small hole for the distribution of meals. There was no heating system. The cells had tall walls and were physically separate from each other, each cell being a separate building entity. The temperature would often reach -20 °C. Administration, maintenance and repression were roles partaken by male nurses.
Statistics
Deaths in prison –14; deaths after confinement in prison – 8; survivors – 71; Total – 93
*Months of death: Nov-Mar – 18, July-Aug – 3, Sep-Oct – 1; Total – 22
*Mean days of confinement: 156 days for deaths within the cells; 239 days for deaths after confinement; 114 days for survivors; Mean – 131 days
Dispute
In March, 1947, Paul Rush, an American colonel physician, visited the sanatorium and heard the complaints of patients, and subsequently the patients sent a complaint letter, but received no response.
On August l, Prince Takamatsu visited the sanatorium and entered the prison. He asked the sanatorium staff several questions. On August 11, Japan Communist Party members, in preparation for a coming upper house election, visited the sanatorium and were surprised to see the prison. On Aug. 22, discussions between patients and the sanatorium began.
When the diet problem was discussed, the director was changed and the responsible section-chief was dismissed.
Testimony
Jun Takada, 19 at that time, testified against the prison.
