Japan Carries Out First Capital Punishment Execution in 14 Months

TOKYO, JAPAN — The Ministry of Justice in Japan confirmed early Friday morning that 58-year-old Sunao Takami was executed by hanging at the Osaka Detention House, marking the nation’s first execution in 14 months and the first capital sentence carried out under the administration of Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi.

Judicial Case History and Ministry Authorization

Takami was convicted of murder and arson in connection with a July 2009 gasoline fire attack on a pachinko parlor in Osaka’s Konohana Ward that resulted in the deaths of five people and severe injuries to ten others. Japan’s Supreme Court finalized the death penalty in 2013 after rejecting defense appeals regarding mental competency. Justice Minister officials stated that after thorough review of judicial findings, capital punishment was carried out in strict accordance with the Penal Code following grave mass casualties.

The execution is the first in Japan since June 2025, maintaining Japan’s status alongside the United States as one of the few G7 nations retaining capital punishment.

International Human Rights and Bar Association Debates

The Japan Federation of Bar Associations (JFBA), Amnesty International, and the European Union issued formal statements reiterating their calls for a moratorium on the death penalty and urging Japan to transition to life imprisonment without parole.

Domestic opinion surveys conducted by the Cabinet Office show that over 80 percent of the Japanese public continues to support capital punishment in cases of heinous multiple murders.

Death Row Statistics in Japan

Following Friday’s execution, 106 finalized death row inmates remain in detention across Japan’s correctional facilities.