Translation guide
A person held in custody, often for legal or security reasons. Japanese expressions vary by context: police custody, immigration detention, or being held captive.
A person arrested or held by law enforcement for investigation or trial.
Suspect; a person arrested on suspicion of a crime and held by police. This is the most common term in news reports for a detainee in criminal cases.
A foreign national held by immigration authorities for visa violations or pending deportation.
Immigration detainee; a person held in an immigration detention facility (入管). This is the standard term in news and official contexts.
入管収容者の長期収容が問題視されている。
The prolonged detention of immigration detainees is seen as a problem.
A person held against their will, such as a hostage, prisoner of war, or kidnap victim.
Prisoner of war; a military detainee captured during armed conflict.
被疑者 (suspect) is the most general term for a person arrested on suspicion. 拘留者 specifically means someone under 拘留 (short-term police detention), while 勾留中の人 refers to someone under 勾留 (longer detention by court order). In news, 被疑者 is used until indictment, after which they become 被告人 (defendant).
The English word 'detainee' covers many situations, but Japanese uses specific terms depending on the authority and legal status. Using a generic word like 拘留者 for an immigration detainee would be inaccurate.
The police are detaining the suspect.
A person under detention (拘留). Refers to someone held in a police cell or detention center, often pre-trial or for a short term.
拘留者は独房に入れられた。
The detainee was placed in a solitary cell.
Person under detention (勾留); a more formal legal term for someone held during investigation or trial.
勾留中の人と面会するには許可が必要だ。
You need permission to visit a detainee.
Unconvicted prisoner; a person detained while awaiting trial. This is a legal term and less common in everyday language.
未決囚の権利が問題になっている。
The rights of unconvicted detainees are at issue.
Foreign national undergoing deportation procedures; a formal legal phrase used in official documents.
退去強制手続中の外国人が収容されている。
Foreign nationals undergoing deportation procedures are being detained.
捕虜はジュネーブ条約で保護される。
Prisoners of war are protected under the Geneva Conventions.
Abduction victim; a person who has been kidnapped and is being held. Often used in the context of North Korean abductions.
拉致被害者の家族は早期帰国を求めている。
The families of the abductees are demanding their early return.
Hostage; a person held to force demands. While not a direct synonym for detainee, it is used when someone is held captive.
犯人グループは人質を解放した。
The group of criminals released the hostages.