An amendment to the Penal Code placing greater emphasis on rehabilitation efforts in prison took effect Sunday, marking the first time changes have been made to the forms of punishment under Japan's more than a century-old crime laws.Imprisonment is no longer divided into the categories of with and without labor, and prison work is no longer mandatory for inmates, allowing more time to be allocated for rehabilitative guidance and education to reduce recidivism, according to the Justice Ministry.The revised law, which will affect people convicted from Sunday, stipulates anew that imprisonmen…READ FULL ARTICLE
