1. Introduction
The death penalty is an issue that has been debated for centuries. In Japan, the death penalty is still in practice and there are still many people facing execution every year. This article will discuss the current number of death sentences in Japan and the arguments for and against the death penalty in this country.
2. Japan’s Death Penalty System
In Japan, the death penalty is carried out by hanging and is administered by a special prison guard known as a “hangman” or “executioner”. The hangman wears a black hood over his face to conceal his identity and carries out the executions in secret with no witnesses present. The Japanese government does not publish any statistics on executions, so it is difficult to know exactly how many people have been executed each year.
3. Recent History of the Death Penalty in Japan
The death penalty has been used in Japan since ancient times, but its use decreased significantly during the Meiji period (1868-1912). During this time, reforms were made to make the process more humane and less arbitrary. After World War II, executions resumed but they were rarely carried out until recently when they began to increase again due to an increase in violent crime. Since then, there has been an average of around 20 executions per year, although this number has decreased slightly since 2013 due to changes in sentencing laws.
4. Current Number of Death Sentences in Japan
According to recent figures from 2020, there were a total of 111 people on death row in Japan at that time. Of these 111 people, only 4 had their sentences finalized and were awaiting execution at that time while the rest were still waiting for their cases to be heard or appealed by higher courts or for a pardon from the Emperor or Prime Minister of Japan. It is estimated that around 10-15 people are sentenced to death each year in Japan while only 2-3 are actually executed annually.
5. The Future of the Death Penalty in Japan
The future of the death penalty in Japan remains uncertain as public opinion continues to be divided on this issue and many experts believe that it should be abolished altogether due to its lack of deterrent value and potential for wrongful convictions. In addition, some argue that it violates human rights as well as international standards regarding cruel and unusual punishment which could lead to sanctions from other countries if it continues to be used indiscriminately or arbitrarily by Japanese authorities.
6 International Comparison of Death Sentences
When compared with other countries around the world, it can be seen that Japan has one of the lowest rates of death sentences per capita with only 0.03 per 100,000 people being sentenced each year compared with 1 per 100,000 people in China and 5 per 100,000 people in Saudi Arabia according to Amnesty International figures from 2019.This shows that despite having one of the highest rates of violent crime among developed nations such as Australia (1),Canada (0),France (0),Germany (0),Italy (0),United Kingdom (0),United States (5),etc., Japanese authorities have opted for more lenient forms of punishment such as life imprisonment instead of capital punishment when dealing with serious crimes such as murder or terrorism.
7 Arguments For And Against The Death Penalty In Japan
>
There are both arguments for and against implementing or abolishing capital punishment within Japanese society today:
Arguments FOR: Proponents believe that capital punishment can act as a deterrent against violent crime; they also argue that it can help provide justice for victims’ families who have lost loved ones due to criminal acts; finally some also argue that it helps protect society from dangerous criminals who may commit further crimes if left alive.
Arguments AGAINST: Opponents point out that capital punishment does not necessarily reduce crime rates; they also argue that innocent people may be wrongly convicted leading them unjustly executed; finally opponents also argue that capital punishment violates human rights principles which should be respected by all nations regardless.
8 Conclusion
It can be concluded from this article that while there are still many people facing execution every year within Japanese society today, actual executions remain relatively low at around 2-3 annually according to recent statistics.This shows us how even though there is still support for capital punishment within certain sectors within Japanese society today,overall attitudes towards its use remain relatively lenient compared with other countries around the world.Therefore we can see why calls for its abolition continue grow louder among certain groups within Japanese civil society today.
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A