Japan: Suicide bids rife among detainees

From The Japan Times Online

At least 23 people held at a Justice Ministry immigration detention facility in Ibaraki, Osaka Prefecture, tried to kill or harm themselves between March 2000 and last July, with one fatality, ...

Many of the detainees were held for entering Japan illegally or for staying in Japan in violation of the immigration law. Among the 23 were people seeking refugee status in Japan.

Supporters said refugee claimants have been complaining of being treated like criminals for long periods after fleeing their countries and risking their lives.