Capital punishment in Japan

Death penalty opponents worldwide regularly protest executions in the United States. For some reason, however, one never seems to hear a similar outcry over executions in Japan. Perhaps it is because so many educated people are unaware that Japan even has the death penalty -- not so surprising, considering how non-Japanese typically think they know a lot more about Japan than they actually do.

These thoughts were prompted by the following from the BBC:

Prosecutors in Japan have called for the death penalty against cult leader Shoko Asahara, who is accused of masterminding a nerve gas attack on the Tokyo subway in 1995. . .

Mr Asahara - the founder of the Aum Shinrikyo, or Supreme Truth, movement - stands accused of a series of crimes which shocked Japan. Nine members of Aum Shinrikyo have already been sentenced to death for their part in the Tokyo attack, which killed 12 people and left thousands ill.

Posted by David on April 24, 2003 9:39 AM