2 inmates hanged; number of executions most per year since 1999

Tuesday 28th October, 02:03 PM JST

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BlackFlag at 01:17 AM JST - 29th October

Don't do the crime if you can't do the time

what time?
BlackFlag at 01:20 AM JST - 29th October

Do you mean innocent like Tsutomu Miyazaki the otaku who killed little girls in Saitama or innocent like the guy who stabbed 7 people to death in Akihabara ? What is your definition of innocence ?

not a lot of logic behind this RodneyKing, this is just running for the rope and tree.
ptolemy at 01:28 AM JST - 29th October

From 1992 to now for one and 2004 to now for the other. Do the math its there.
Molenir at 07:54 AM JST - 29th October

not a lot of logic behind this RodneyKing, this is just running for the rope and tree.

Well, sure, if you mean, after having been arrested, tried, found guilty, appealed, verdict upheld, appealed again, in some cases retried, finally executed years after they should have been. That is running for the rope and tree... Or not.

What you fail to understand is, these people are guilty. All these statements about how innocents are being executed is just nonsense. That they refuse to admit their guilt, does not mean they're not guilty. I'm not in general a big fan of Japanese justice. Theres too much they really need to address. However, each of these people have had their Due Process. You can't expect more then that.
elbudamexicano at 08:14 AM JST - 29th October

Congratulations to the Japanese execution system! Here in Japan, if you are found to be guilty you will hang! I love this! In more corrupt countries, if you can pay off the courts, etc...you will get away with murder, go back on the streets and be able to kill off those who testified against you. So to all of these cry babies here who can not understand the reason the death penalty is still used in over 90 countries, wait until you are a tragic victim of crime and then come back and tell us how much compassion you have for all of these scum bag criminals.
ebisen at 09:28 AM JST - 29th October

Japan, which in the past has faced criticism for keeping prisoners on death row for decades before their executions, has increased the pace of hangings in recent years.

Priceless - typical Japanese way of solving the problem (and, no, I'm not criticizing the Japanese)
techall at 09:41 AM JST - 29th October

The amount of time spent on death row in Japan is not entirely arbitrary. A lot depends on the appeal process and how vigorously it is persued. Some forgo all appeals and spped up the process. others will appeal and profess their innocense to the last day. Recently sosme capital crime verdicts in Japan have been overturned on the basis of coerced confessions, prosecution with holding or fabricating evidence. This doesn't mean the accused were not guilty in all cases it just proves that the appeal process is important.
BlackFlag at 10:09 AM JST - 29th October

What you fail to understand is, these people are guilty.All these statements about how innocents are being executed is just nonsense.

you DONT know that. that is what you fail to understand in your blind moral rage. maybe 99% are but if 1% isnt that is not a trade off I or any civilised person would be willing to accept.
BlackFlag at 10:11 AM JST - 29th October

still keep trottong out lines like "cant do the crime..." makes you sound like a real tough cowboy yeah yeehaaw
IchyaParadise at 11:25 AM JST - 29th October

BlackFlag- What is amazing is that I never hear about you standing outside the prisons asking for them to be retried or freed. Why don't you try your town hall meetings, religous or whatever forum you may go to, to speak the government about its bad judicial system?

You just like to cry here. Having fun yet?
BlackFlag at 11:47 AM JST - 29th October

do you understand the difference between an internet forum and the real world? how would you hear about what I do in my day to day life and why would it be any of your business? this is a forum for crying on, that's all it is. have fun
IchyaParadise at 02:45 PM JST - 29th October

BlackFlag, of course I don't, that is why I cry here too. I am glad that you understand that I want nothing to do with your personal life as well as you with mine; unless you want to. Just making sure you do not want to chase me around the forum like YangYong does, screaming his religous beliefs.
Molenir at 03:48 PM JST - 29th October

BlackFlag. So, you're saying of the 100 people currently on death row, 1 of them is actually innocent. Right? Which one? Please, by all means, since you can look at this number and discern the truth. In your moral outrage, which thinks, surely 1 in 100 must be innocent. Please, let us know which person should be released, and then of course you should volunteer to have him live next door to you.
techall at 04:50 PM JST - 29th October

Molenir:

Would you trip the gallows on Iwao Hakamada? Read his story, maybe he is guilty but there is certainly enough reason to doubt. 23 days of continusous inerrigations and suspect evidence.

I am a proponent of the death penalty but the evidence must be unequivicable. Coerced confessions don't count.
Molenir at 10:05 AM JST - 4th November

This was awhile ago, but what the heck, I'll go ahead and respond anyway.

To answer your question, yes. I wouldn't have any qualms about being the hangman. Well, apart from not wanting to be the one to personally pull the trigger on anyone, even a murderer. I don't really doubt the guys guilt though. Having said this I freely admit I don't know anything about the case. However, think about it for a moment. If there was really significant evidence of coercion, or a forced confession, he would have gotten a new trial. And they'd have tossed out his confession. That they didn't suggests that perhaps despite your saying it was forced, that either it wasn't, or that certain details in the confession lead them to believe that he really is guilty. Again, I don't know the case so I don't know the details, this is just my personal belief. Take it as you will.