This article examines the death penalty in Japan, discussing the current number of death sentences, recent history, international comparison, and arguments for and against it. It is estimated that around 10-15 people are sentenced to death each year in Japan while only 2-3 are actually executed annually. Compared with other countries around the world, Japan has one of the lowest rates of death sentences per capita. There are both arguments for and against implementing or abolishing capital punishment within Japanese society today. Calls for its abolition continue to grow louder among certain groups within Japanese civil society today.