Japan hangs two on death row; first executions in a year
The HinduJapan hanged two convicted killers on Wednesday, including a man who burned six women to death, in the country’s first executions in a year, and the justice minister said she wants renewed debate on whether to continue the punishment. Justice Minister Keiko Chiba, formerly a member of a group of lawmakers opposed to the death penalty, witnessed the executions and said afterwards she wanted a new study group to spur debate on the punishment, including whether it should be abolished in Japan. Amnesty International condemned the double executions, accusing Japan’s government of “playing with human lives.” “It is contradictory to execute someone while proposing public debate on it,” Amnesty said in a statement. “We are alarmed that such debate only justifies the death penalty while the government continues to carry out executions.” Criminals can be left on death row for years in Japan, and executions, all carried out by hanging, are highly secretive.
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