Japan: Survey shows over 80% support for the death penalty among the population
A recent survey by the Japanese government shows that support for the death penalty remains high among the population. The Cabinet Office conducts this survey every five years.
In the latest survey, 83.1 percent of respondents said they were in favor of the death penalty. This represents an increase of 2.3 percent on the previous poll and marks the fifth consecutive time that approval has been above 80 percent.
The survey was conducted between October and December 2024 and was aimed at 3,000 people aged 18 and over. In contrast to previous surveys, which were based on interviews, this time questionnaires were sent out. Although the questions remained the same, the Cabinet Office explained that a direct comparison with previous results was difficult.
The most common reasons for supporting the death penalty were “the feelings of victims of crime and their families cannot be appeased” (62.2 percent), “heinous crimes should be paid for with one’s life” (55.5 percent) and “abolishing the death penalty would lead to an increase in heinous crimes” (53.4 percent).
The survey also shows a change in public perception following the acquittal of former death row inmate Iwao Hakamada. Hakamada, who spent decades innocent on death row, was acquitted in a retrial in September 2024.
As a result, the proportion of those in favor of abolishing the death penalty rose by 7.5 percent to 16.5 percent. The most common reason for this was: “It is irreversible if there is a mistake at trial”.
Japan has not carried out the death penalty for over two years. The last execution took place in July 2022, when 39-year-old Tomohiro Kato was hanged for a 2008 rampage in Akihabara.
According to the Japanese Ministry of Justice, 108 people are currently awaiting execution. The criminal procedure law stipulates that an execution must be carried out within six months of the final decision. However, the average time between a final decision and an execution from 2014 to 2023 was around nine years.