Prison breaks are really rare in Japan. Find out about one historical case.
Takafumi, Masahige, Eriko
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Script
A: Did you watch the American TV drama which depicts breaking out of prison on TV last night?
B: Oh! You are referring to “PRISON BREAK”? I watched it!
A: I think it was so nice! How do you feel about it?
B: I think so too! (This is so nice a drama that I watched it twice!) The main actor was so nice, isn’t it?!
A: Yeah! He was very clever and brave! When they broke out of prison, I was so exited!
B: But I have a question. Is being in prison in America really like such a drama?
A: Oh! That’s exactly what I thought, too.
I’ve had the same doubt. (So I’ve just done some research on the subject).
B: Good!
A: In America, prisoners are allowed much latitude. For example, they can make a call and receive things from the outside…anyway, they are free to some extent.
And prison is divided up into many factions; white, black and Latin.
There seem to often be fights, and some people are killed.
B: It’s scary! It must be hard to live in an American prison. I’m lucky to live here.
A: Yeah I think so too. Japanese prison is far better.
B: Prison in Japan has stricter regulations than the ones in America. So there is no danger of death or riot, like in America.
I think Japanese prison carries out the function of rehabilitation of an offender better than American prison do.
The condition in Japanese prison is so good that in Japan there are some people who want to go to prison by committing a petty crime, especially in winter.
A: I heard about that too. In particular, people who have no job or have a job with bad conditions want to go to prison.
There are some people who are willing to go to prison. Do you know is there no one who has broke out of prison like “PRISON BREAK” in Japan?
B: It seems that it is impossible to break out of prison as you think, however, actually there was a great and famous person who broke out of prison times! I’ve read a book on the subject.
A: Really? Please tell me about him!
B: Sure! His name is Yoshie Shiratori. He was called “Japan’s greatest prison breaker“
He was born in 1907 in Aomori and when he was 26, he committed a Murder-robbery and went to prison in Aomori. The surroundings there were so bad that he decided to break out of prison and did it,
A: How did he do it?
B: Don’t be surprised to hear the way! He made the same key as the guard had by using short wire and escaped!
A: Oh! It is so interesting! Please tell me the rest of the times!
B: As I said, he broke out of prison in 1936 but after 3 days, he was again arrested and sent to prison in Akita. Despite the guards preparing a strict cell for him, he broke out of prison again! He made a simple saw and removed a fragile skylight. But he was arrested again and then he was sent to Abashiri prison which is famous for its hard environment such as very cold weather and strict management
A: That sounds like Harry Potter’s Azkaban prison. It was the severest prison in Japan, wasn’t it? I think it was almost impossible to escape from there. How did he do it?
B: Yeah. It took an enormous and long effort to do it. He used Miso-soup to make a window rust and he kept shaking the steel window for 3 month without being discouraged. Then the chance came. A power failure happened. He escaped from his strict cell by putting his shoulder out of joint
A: Really? He put his shoulder out of joint? How can it be!? I can’t imagine!
B: Yeah…I think so too. He broke out of prison again in Sapporo by digging a tunnel.
He was a genius in breaking prison! Ordinary people cannot put their joints out freely! He had an unbelievable physical strength, for example, he could keep running for 120km and could tear off his handcuffs! But I think his unbelievable ability is only one reason he could do it. There were of course some failures in the Prison.
A: It’s so interesting! He broke out of prison four times. So why can’t we do that?
（ブザー音）
B: What’s happening!? Hmm… When did the warden of the prison who lost him discovered? Where? In the Closet!?
看守: Be quiet! Get into the room!
AB: Now is the chance! Go!