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The death penalty in a changing society: a survey of recent developments in Japan

The death penalty in a changing society: a survey of recent developments in Japan AbstractJapan’s society and law in particular has recently undergone some significant changes. This article identifies five of these developments that could potentially impact practices relating to the death penalty there, and investigates the effect that they have had so far. Specifically, the developments introduced are: the amendment of the Prison Law governing for the death penalty; the introduction of citizen participation in death penalty-related trials; the change of power to the Democratic Party of Japan; the adoption of new abolitionist instruments by international and regional organizations in which Japan participates; and, the possible establishment of a National Human Rights Institution with power to make recommendations to the government. I argue that at least some of these developments have had a tangible impact, and at the very least are likely to bring down the veil of secrecy currently shrouding death row inmates. http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png Contemporary Japan de Gruyter

The death penalty in a changing society: a survey of recent developments in Japan

Croydon, Silvia
Contemporary Japan , Volume 26 (1): 21 – Mar 1, 2014
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Publisher
de Gruyter
Copyright
©2014 Walter de Gruyter GmbH, Berlin Boston
ISSN
1869-2737
eISSN
1869-2737
DOI
10.1515/cj-2014-0005
Publisher site
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Abstract

AbstractJapan’s society and law in particular has recently undergone some significant changes. This article identifies five of these developments that could potentially impact practices relating to the death penalty there, and investigates the effect that they have had so far. Specifically, the developments introduced are: the amendment of the Prison Law governing for the death penalty; the introduction of citizen participation in death penalty-related trials; the change of power to the Democratic Party of Japan; the adoption of new abolitionist instruments by international and regional organizations in which Japan participates; and, the possible establishment of a National Human Rights Institution with power to make recommendations to the government. I argue that at least some of these developments have had a tangible impact, and at the very least are likely to bring down the veil of secrecy currently shrouding death row inmates.

Journal

Contemporary Japan – de Gruyter

Published: Mar 1, 2014

Keywords: death penalty; institutional change; Prison Law; lay judges; secrecy

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