Japan carries out first execution under Premier Takaichi

The first person executed in Japan since the new premiership of Sanae Takaichi was carried out on Tuesday in Osaka, when a 58‑year‑old man was hanged for an arson attack that killed five people in 2009. The execution, carried out at the Osaka Detention Centre, follows a long legal process that began with the crime in January 2009, the man’s arrest in 2010 and a death sentence handed down by a Tokyo court in 2015. His appeal to the High Court in 2018 was dismissed, and a final appeal to the Supreme Court in 2022 was rejected, making the execution the first under Takaichi’s administration, who assumed office in early 2024.

Japan’s use of capital punishment remains a tightly controlled, low‑frequency practice. The country has executed 18 people in the last decade, and the death penalty is still codified in its Penal Code. Those on death row are held in solitary confinement for most of the year, and the execution itself is carried out by hanging—a method chosen for its perceived efficiency and minimal public spectacle. The legal system requires a unanimous Supreme Court decision to uphold a death sentence, and the final execution date is set by the Ministry of Justice. The process is often criticized by international human‑rights organisations, which argue that Japan’s lack of an abolitionist trend and the secrecy surrounding execution details violate principles of fair trial and humane treatment.

Takaichi’s premiership has already drawn attention to Japan’s criminal justice policy. The former foreign minister, who became the first woman to hold Japan’s top office, has expressed a commitment to maintaining public safety while also addressing international criticism of the death penalty. However, her government has not signalled any immediate shift in policy, and the execution of the Osaka arsonist was carried out in accordance with existing law. Domestic opinion remains divided; polls show a majority of Japanese citizens still support the death penalty for the most heinous crimes, whereas a growing minority of younger voters and civil society groups push for abolition.

The case also illustrates the broader regional dynamics surrounding criminal justice and human rights. Taiwan abolished the death penalty in 2004 and has since positioned itself as a champion of human‑rights standards in East Asia. Japan’s continued use of capital punishment is sometimes cited by Taiwan and other democratic neighbours as a benchmark for the region’s legal practices. While the Osaka execution has no direct impact on trade or security ties, it reinforces Japan’s image as a nation that upholds a punitive justice system, which could influence diplomatic dialogues on legal reforms and human‑rights cooperation in the Indo‑Pacific.

In sum, the execution marks a significant, if routine, moment for Japan’s legal system and the new administration of Sanae Takaichi. It underscores the enduring tension between domestic support for the death penalty and international pressure for reform—a tension that remains a point of reference for regional partners such as Taiwan, where differing approaches to criminal justice continue to shape both internal policy debates and external diplomatic relations.