Using references to specific articles of Japanese law throughout, the paper first draws attention to the basic human rights extended and guaranteed to incarcerated suspects and defendants. Among them are the freedom from involuntary servitude and torture, and the rights to sue for redress and to vote. The restrictions placed on the freedom of these prisoners as necessitated by their incarceration are explained with attention to specific situations concerning basic human rights. These deal with disciplinary punishment; instruments of restraint; interviews; correspondence, newspapers, and radio; religion; and property. Finally, the paper presents the current practices and laws which deal with guaranteeing a proper standard of living conditions to prisoners. Requirements for living quarters, clothing and bedding, food, bathing and hair-cuts, and physical exercise and recreation are delineated. Two tables are appended which present the daily average of prison population from 1974-78 and the density of unconvicted prisoners in prisons as of December 31, 1979.