A bill to revise the Penal Code passed the Diet on Monday, introducing the first change to the law's sentencing categories since it was established in 1907.
A plenary session of the House of the Councillors voted to enact the bill to unify two types of sentence -- "imprisonment with labor" and "imprisonment without labor" -- into the newly created "confinement." This will alter the current system of requiring work from prisoners who were sentenced to imprisonment with labor and allow more flexible supervision in accordance with prisoners' age and characteristics, placing more importance on rehabilitation.
The revisions are expected to go into effect in 2025.
