The government said Wednesday that a plan for a new privately run prison in Mine, Yamaguchi Prefecture, will be authorized as part of a program to create special deregulation zones.
The plan by the Mine city office was one of 652 proposals submitted by local governments in June to create special deregulation zones and revive local economic activity, two task forces in the Cabinet Office said.
The task forces made the announcement in a report outlining the government's plans to implement the proposals.
The Justice Ministry has endorsed Mine's proposal to build a prison with private-sector funds and commission a group of private companies, such as a security-services provider and a job-training firm, to operate the prison, they said.
The prison project is among about 20 plans chosen so far by participating government ministries and agencies.
The Headquarters for the Promotion of Special Zones for Structural Reform, a panel of Cabinet ministers, will decide in September on a plan to promote the creation of special deregulation zones.
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