An increasing number of Japanese who can't afford to pay fines imposed for traffic violations and other crimes are being jailed to pay off their debt to society _ by doing unskilled labor in prison workshops.
The number of offenders sent to prison because they failed to pay court-ordered fines jumped to 7,376 in 2006, nearly three times the 2,661 incarcerated for the same reason in 1997, according to the latest Justice Ministry statistics.
Most of the cases cited were for speeding, reckless driving and other traffic violations, as well as illegal drug possession and assault.
The number of offenders imprisoned for nonpayment of fines has climbed steadily since 2002 when the government revised traffic laws to introduce tougher penalties and fines, the ministry said.
"The trend represents a widening gap between the rich and the poor in our society," said Maiko Tagusari, a lawyer who specializes in prisoners' rights. "A growing number of people are having trouble making ends meet and so they fail to pay the fines."
Those sent to jail can pay off their fines by doing unskilled labor such as folding envelopes and assembling paper shopping bags. An eight-hour day in the prison workshop earns each prisoner about 5,000 yen (US$47), which is used to pay the fine, the ministry said.
About 80 percent of those imprisoned for nonpayment in 2006 served 100 days or less. The average fine was 350,000 yen (US$3,300).
The number of offenses that resulted in court-ordered fines plunged to 643,971 cases in 2006, from 1.04 million in 1997.
