Tokyo, Dec. 15 (Jiji Press)—The Japanese government decided Friday to consider promoting drug offenders’ rehabilitation through the utilization of withdrawal services offered by medical and other institutions, instead of consigning them to prison.

The plan is part of the government’s five-year program for the prevention of repeat offenses starting in fiscal 2018, which was adopted at the day’s cabinet meeting.

Ahead of the adoption, the government held a ministerial meeting on crime control at the prime minister’s office.

“What’s important is to steadily implement enduring measures,” Prime Minister Abe Shinzō told the meeting. He said the government should work on crime control in cooperation with the private sector.

In the program, the government stressed the need for criminal justice agencies to cooperate with medical and welfare institutions.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]