Recent revelations concerning the fatal abuse of inmates by guards at Nagoya Prison have prompted the Justice Ministry to pursue amendments to the near century-old Prison Law -- or even its complete abolition in favor of new legislation.
In fact, attempts have already been made to review the law, which has been criticized for failing to protect inmates' rights.
These efforts faltered each time over one sticking point -- the "substitute prison" system, in which crime suspects are held in police cells for days to undergo interrogation.
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