Public safety chief shows regret over execution

Friday 06th November, 06:32 AM JST

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bamboohat at 09:05 AM JST - 6th November

Missing your kids baseball game is regrettable.

Showing up late to the office Christmas party is regrettable.

Forgetting your wife's anniversary is regrettable.

A state sanctioned murder of an innocent man is a horrible injustice that demands rectification.

At least in countries that do more than merely pretend to value human life.
Stonefish at 09:33 AM JST - 6th November

JT,Why was the petition for retrial not granted? WHere was tjhe miscarriage of justice that is now "regretted"?

More/better information please?!
niibu_yaa at 10:36 AM JST - 6th November

"Hang the incompetent keystones instead, after all they were the ones who didn't allow a retrial therefore sending this man to his death despite the fact of possible false/wrong evidence."

No worries, if they allow the new re-trail and don't find him guilty I'm sure you'll get at least one seppuku out of it.
javnation at 10:41 AM JST - 6th November

Japanese police and the legal system, leave a hell of a lot to be desired. I often wonder how many innocent people get incarcerated each year.
timorborder at 11:37 AM JST - 6th November

Interesting story this one in terms of the attitudes of the different Japanese political parties. It would be interesting to know if such a "show of regret" would have been seen under a LDP administration.
Patrick Smash at 12:07 PM JST - 6th November

The cops and courts refuse to allow the more modern DNA tests to prove innocence or otherwise. They prefer to believe in the infallibility of the original evidence, and will send a man to his death based on this. It is repulsive, and the Death Penalty needs to be abolished and the Criminal Justice System brought into the 21st century. The prisons here are probably full of the innocent victims of Japanese so-called justice.
alohajapan at 12:09 PM JST - 6th November

This is too funny! It's like a Pinky and Brain episode.
combinibento at 12:14 PM JST - 6th November

I don't understand; I've ready the story several times but am still in the dark as to why the official thinks it is regrettable. He was convicted, the DNA test was only alleged by his spouse to have been faulty, and the appeal was rejected. Why, then, did the official state the conviction "could have been reviewed in a retrial"? No, it couldn't. Is this official simply anti-death penalty or does he know something the rest of us don't?
Stonefish at 12:54 PM JST - 6th November

I agree combinibento. Where do journalists get off publishing stories like this?
sageb1 at 01:32 PM JST - 6th November

I'm not even going to state my opinion but let someone else state their own opinion, instead.

http://www.executedtoday.com/2009/10/28/2008-michitoshi-kuma-it-cant-be-undone-now/
stirfry at 02:10 PM JST - 6th November

japan's favorite word: regrettable
jameskpolka at 03:25 PM JST - 6th November

When we, the upstanding, law-abiding citizens, agree to execute a human being, we let the murderer set the rules of human behavior, and makes us a murderer, too. We agree to become murderers who take days deliberating in a courtroom to kill someone; the murderer we condemn to death acted in haste and fury.

The only way we can authentically distinguish ourselves from a murderer is by refusing to do what the murderer did -- refusing to murder another human being. I spent my life csrefully making sure I never killed anyone. Then the government signs my name to a death warrant, and hangs someone claiming my approval and cooperation.

I am not a murderer with a knife in an alley. I am not a murderer in a jury box in a suit and tie. I am not a murderer in judge's robes. I am not a murderer.
ashika1009 at 03:56 PM JST - 6th November

How can making a statement like that now do any possible good? A good argument can even be made that nothing should have been said at all, giving the timing. Imagine how his "widow" feels . . . .

I suppose now justice will be served on those responsible for this tragedy?

This scenario boggles the mind.
DXXJP at 05:08 PM JST - 6th November

Im reading the responses and as I scroll down a popup add says "stop the execution of Troy Davis!" Its a amnesty international USA.

Go figure this pore chap in the story didnt even get one of these.

But who will reopen the case and if they find they were wrong that means three things.

Innocent man was convicted and murdered.

Someone is still on the loose

Nobody will take responsibility for what has happened.
lincolnlklim at 11:32 PM JST - 6th November

The police force, judiciary system and the almighty MARUSA(Japanese equivalent of the IRS) have arbitrary power to judge and sentence without going through due process in Japan. They do not believe in innocent until proven guilty. The benefit of doubt is in the prosecutor's favour, not the accused i.e. it is better to kill a thousand innocents than to let one guilty escape; this is the general philosophy of the Japanese legal system. The government is supposed to protect the people from the crooks. But who is to protect us if the the government is the crook? The people should form a security forces of sort to watch over government and bureaucrats wrong doing. I hope the new DPJ administration can do a better job in treating its citizen like human beings, not animals where you can kill a person by mistake and get away with a "I am sorry".