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Japan executes man for 2009 arson attack
Confirmed
In Short: Japan has carried out its first execution under Sanae Takaichi's premiership, executing a 58-year-old man for a 2009 arson attack that killed five people at a pachinko parlor in Osaka.
Minister of Justice Hiraguchi stated, 'As minister of justice, I ordered the execution of the death sentence after giving the matter the most careful consideration possible,' highlighting the official's commitment to the process.
The prisoner was only informed of his impending execution the morning before it took place, a standard practice in Japan to avoid destabilizing the prisoner's emotional state, which could cause undue suffering.
Amnesty International reported in May that recorded executions worldwide rose 78% in 2025 to 2,707, the highest number documented by the rights group since 1981, reflecting a global trend.
In a Japanese government survey from 2024, 83% of respondents considered the death penalty 'unavoidable,' indicating strong public support for capital punishment in the country.
Background
Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asian mainland, it is bordered to the west by the Sea of Japan, the Sea of Okhotsk in the north, and the East China Sea in the south.
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- “As minister of justice, I ordered the execution of the death sentence after giving the matter the most careful consideration possible,” Hiraguchi told reporters.
- He also said that Takami, 58, was only informed of his impending execution yesterday morning, as is the standard practice in Japan.
- “This is because there is concern that notifying the prisoner before the execution date could destabilise their emotional state, and it is believed that doing so might actually cause them undue suffering,” Hiraguchi…
- Amnesty International said in May that recorded executions worldwide rose 78% in 2025 to 2,707, the highest number documented by the rights group since 1981.
- A Japanese government survey in 2024 found that 83% of respondents considered the death penalty “unavoidable”.