Here's part 2 of a fascinating first-hand account of being jailed in Japan, by "George," a 36-year-old American living in Japan with his wife and two young children.
George wrote the journal while spending a few weeks in a Japanese Ryuchijyo ("Prison for people that haven't yet been convicted of any crime"). In part one, George explained what he did to land in prison (basically, he behaved like a drunk, violent jerk and hurt a cab driver).
In Part 2, he describes going to the police station the day after the incident to apologize and pay restitution. But after he is grilled for hours on end, it dawns on him that he's not going to get off as easily as he thought.
After a grueling day mentally and verbally jousting with the DIC [detective in charge] I entered cell #6, which would become my home for the next 22 days. Walking through the cellblock seeing each cell with 3 or 4 men lying on their futons, I had a strange feeling like I was in a movie. As I entered my cell I briefly caught the eye of a bulky looking Japanese man (who the next day I immediately recognized as non-threatening) and also another man who the next day I would find out was in fact Chinese. He also seemed okay based on the half-second eye contact we had. The day of anxiety finally ended when I closed my eyes and drifted into a deep sleep in my 10 foot by 15 foot cell with two other "suspects" of other crimes, exhausted and happy to have a futon to give me comfort. I laid my futon out near the door as I didn't want to intrude and I slept remarkably well despite the stress and despite the lack of food other than a horrid cold bento at 10:20pm, and after my signature and fingerprint was logged on my official statement. I was entered into the detention center as inmate number 14 and handed a pair of slippers with my number neatly stenciled on top.
I can hardly wait for Part 3.
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