Editing Physical restraint (section)

====Japan====
Japanese law states that psychiatric hospitals may use restraints on patients only if there is a danger that the patients will harm themselves. The law also states that a designated psychiatrist must approve the use of restraints and examine the patient at least every 12 hours to determine whether the situation has changed and the patient should be removed from restraints.<ref>{{cite web |title=Number of patients physically restrained at psychiatric hospitals soars |url=https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2016/05/09/national/science-health/tying-mental-health-patients-soaring/ |website=The Japan Times Online |date=9 May 2016 |access-date=26 December 2017 |archive-date=11 March 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230311052054/https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2016/05/09/national/science-health/tying-mental-health-patients-soaring/ |url-status=dead }}</ref>
However, in practice, Japanese psychiatric hospitals use restraints fairly often and for long periods. Despite being required to certify every 12 hours whether a patient still needs restraints, Japanese psychiatric hospitals keep patients in restraints for a much longer time than hospitals in other countries. According to a survey conducted on 689 patients in 11 psychiatric hospitals in Japan, the average time spent in physical restraints is 96 days.<ref>長谷川利夫. (2016). 精神科医療における隔離・ 身体拘束実態調査 ～その急増の背景要因を探り縮減への道筋を考える～. 病院・地域精神医学, 59(1), 18–21.</ref> Meanwhile, the average time in most other developed countries is at most several hours to tens of hours.

The number of people who are physically restrained in Japanese psychiatric hospitals continues to increase. In 2014 more than 10,000 people were restrained-the highest ever recorded, and more than double the number a decade earlier.<ref>{{cite web |title=身体拘束と隔離がまた増えた |date=February 2017 |url=https://yomidr.yomiuri.co.jp/article/20170201-OYTET50013/ |publisher=Yomiuri Online |language=ja}}</ref> It is thought that some of that increase includes older patients with dementia. As a result, the Japanese [[Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare]] has revised its guidelines for elderly people in nursing homes to have more restrictions against body restraints. The changes will take effect on 1 April 2018.<ref>{{cite news |publisher=Reuters Japan |date=4 December 2017  |title=介護施設、拘束の要件厳格化 |trans-title= Tough changes in requirements for physical restraints in nursing homes |language=ja}}</ref>

Deaths have been reported from their use, including that of [[Kelly Savage]], an Assisted Language Teacher from New Zealand, in 2017.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Otake |first1=Tomoko |title=Family blames prolonged use of restraints at Kanagawa hospital for English teacher's death |url=https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2017/07/18/national/family-blames-prolonged-use-restraints-kanagawa-hospital-english-teachers-death/ |website=The Japan Times Online |date=18 July 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.norestraint.org|title= 日本の 精神科医療を 考える シンポジウム|website=norestraint.org|language=ja}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Kiwi mum's fight to end restraints in Japan's psychiatric hospitals |url=https://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/ninetonoon/audio/2018644783/kiwi-mum-s-fight-to-end-restraints-in-japan-s-psychiatric-hospitals |website=Radio New Zealand |language=en-nz |date=14 May 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.asahi.com/articles/DA3S13229858.html|title=施設「頭打ちそうで拘束」 入所の障害者男性死亡 青梅|website=Asahi Shimbun|access-date=26 December 2017|archive-date=26 December 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171226234632/https://www.asahi.com/articles/DA3S13229858.html|url-status=dead}}</ref>