The Death Penalty in Japan: A System Under Scrutiny

Japan's capital punishment system is facing renewed criticism after Iwao Hakamada, the world's longest-serving death row inmate, was awarded $1.4 million in compensation following his acquittal last year. His case has reignited discussions about the risks of wrongful convictions and the inhumane nature of executions in Japan. Despite these concerns, the death penalty continues to have overwhelming public support in the country.

Strong Public Support for Capital Punishment

Japan is one of the few developed nations that still practices capital punishment. Along with the United States, it is the only member of the Group of Seven (G7) industrialized economies that retains the death penalty. A government survey conducted in 2024 among 1,800 people found that 83 percent of respondents believed the death penalty was “unavoidable.” Of those surveyed, 62 percent argued that the families of murder victims would never feel justice was served if capital punishment were abolished.

However, opposition to the death penalty has been growing in Japan. The same survey found that support for abolition rose to 17 percent, up from 9 percent five years earlier. Among those who opposed the death penalty, 70 percent cited the irreversible nature of executions, fearing the possibility of putting innocent people to death. Cases like Hakamada’s, where a wrongful conviction led to decades of confinement and mental suffering, have highlighted the dangers of an irreversible punishment.

Life on Death Row in Japan

As of December 2023, there were 107 prisoners on death row in Japan. The country’s execution method is hanging, which has been in place for over a century. While the law states that executions should be carried out within six months after all appeals are exhausted, this rarely happens in practice. Instead, prisoners spend years or even decades in solitary confinement, never knowing when their execution will take place. The uncertainty has severe psychological effects, with many prisoners suffering from mental deterioration due to the prolonged isolation and stress.

Critics argue that Japan’s execution system is particularly cruel because inmates are often informed of their execution on the same day it is carried out. Some prisoners may receive no warning at all, being taken from their cells in the early morning without prior notice. Family members are not allowed to witness the execution, and there is very little transparency surrounding the process. Human rights groups, including Amnesty International, have condemned this practice as inhumane.

The Controversial Execution Method

Hanging remains the only legal execution method in Japan. The process involves leading the condemned prisoner to the gallows, where they are blindfolded and have their hands and feet bound. Several prison officers press execution buttons simultaneously, but only one button actually triggers the trapdoor. This system ensures that no individual officer knows who was responsible for the prisoner’s death.

The method has faced growing criticism. Three death row inmates filed a lawsuit in 2022, calling the practice cruel and inhumane. They argued that hanging is prone to botched executions, causing immense suffering before death. However, Japan’s Supreme Court has consistently upheld the method, ruling that it does not constitute cruel punishment. According to the court, only execution methods such as burning, crucifixion, decapitation, or boiling can be classified as cruel.

Despite this legal stance, human rights activists argue that Japan’s execution system fails to meet international human rights standards. Inmates endure long periods of psychological torture before facing an outdated and brutal execution method.

Recent Executions and High-Profile Cases

Japan has not carried out an execution in over two years, marking the longest pause since 2007 when the justice ministry began publicly disclosing the names of executed prisoners. The last execution took place in July 2022 when Tomohiro Kato was hanged for killing seven people in a 2008 attack in Tokyo’s Akihabara district.

Another notable case was the 2018 execution of Shoko Asahara, the leader of the Aum Shinrikyo doomsday cult, along with 12 of his followers. The group was responsible for the 1995 sarin gas attack on the Tokyo subway, which killed 14 people and injured thousands.

More recently, Shinji Aoba, the man behind the 2019 Kyoto Animation arson attack that killed 36 people, had his death penalty finalized in January 2025. He withdrew his appeal, meaning his execution could take place at any time.

While these cases involved particularly heinous crimes, the broader debate about the fairness and humanity of Japan’s death penalty system continues. Critics argue that wrongful convictions, lack of transparency, and the cruel nature of executions make the system deeply flawed.

Calls for Reform and International Pressure

Japan’s death penalty system has been criticized by human rights organizations, legal experts, and even some lawmakers. One of the biggest concerns is the lack of transparency in the execution process. Critics argue that the Japanese public is not given enough information to make an informed decision about capital punishment. A group of legal experts and lawmakers published a report in November 2024 stating that Japan should consider suspending executions while reviewing the system.

One proposed solution is to follow South Korea’s approach. South Korea has not abolished the death penalty, but it has stopped carrying out executions since 1997. The country has not experienced a significant increase in violent crime despite this moratorium. Some legal experts suggest that Japan should maintain its death penalty laws but suspend executions indefinitely while considering alternative punishments.

International organizations, including the United Nations and Amnesty International, have also urged Japan to reconsider its stance on capital punishment. Many developed nations have abolished the practice, arguing that it is outdated and prone to errors. Japan’s continued use of capital punishment puts it at odds with global human rights trends.

The Future of Capital Punishment in Japan

Despite growing criticism, the death penalty remains deeply ingrained in Japan’s justice system. Strong public support makes it unlikely that the government will abolish it in the near future. However, the increasing number of wrongful convictions and the psychological toll on death row inmates may push Japan toward reform.

The case of Iwao Hakamada serves as a stark reminder of the risks involved. After spending nearly 50 years on death row for a crime he did not commit, he was finally acquitted. His case highlights the potential for irreversible miscarriages of justice and raises serious ethical questions about the death penalty.

While Japan has yet to take concrete steps toward abolition, discussions about reform are gaining momentum. Whether the government will reconsider its execution policies remains to be seen, but for now, death row prisoners continue to live under the constant shadow of an uncertain and abrupt end.