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Japan Executes 'Twitter Killer' Who Murdered 9
Above: A court sketch of Takahiro Shiraishi at trial in Tokyo District Court in 2020. Image copyright: Masato Yamashita/Jiji Press/Getty Images
The Spin
Pro-government narrative
These were disturbing crimes, carried out for selfish motives, that caused great shock and unrest to society. It's not appropriate to abolish the death penalty when violent crimes such as these are still routinely being committed. In poll after poll, Japanese society still supports the death penalty.
Government-critical narrative
While Japan's laws stipulate that executions must be carried out within six months of the court process being exhausted, the reality is that death row inmates can spend decades in solitary confinement before final punishment. The process is cloaked in secrecy, with inmates typically not knowing till hours before they are killed, and the method of execution is among the most cruel. Reform is needed.