Japan Executes Two Killers

The First Executions Since 2009

Japan Today reported that the Japanese government hanged two death row inmates this week in the first executions under the new Democratic Party of Japan government.

The two are Kazuo Shinozawa, 59, who was accused of murder in 2000 involving six female clerks at a jewelry store in Utsunomiya, Tochigi Prefecture, and Hidenori Ogata, 33, who was responsible for killing a man and woman and seriously injuring two others in Saitama Prefecture in 2003, according to the Justice Ministry.

The executiions were carried out at the Tokyo Detention Center. In Japan, executions are carried out in secret, inmates are not informed of their execution dates, and their families are not informed until after the execution.

The Japanese Justice Minister attended the executions. While declining to comment on her personal views opposing the death penalty, the justice minister expressed readiness to establish a panel to study the death penalty.

To read more: http://www.japantoday.com/category/national/view/japan-hangs-2-death-row-inmates-1st-execution-in-1-year