Japan
2026
- GOVERNMENT
- constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary government
- CONSTITUTION
- May 3, 1947
- LEGAL SYSTEM
- based on the German model with Anglo-American influences; review of legislative acts by the Supreme Court
- LEGISLATIVE SYSTEM
- bicameral, House of Councillors (Sangi-in) and House of Representatives (Shugi-in)
- JUDICIAL SYSTEM
- Supreme Court (president appointed by the King on the recommendation of the Government, others appointed by the Government)
RELIGIONS
majority of Buddhists and Shintoists; minorities of Catholics, Protestants, and Orthodox
From the country
AUGUST 21, 2026JapanDEATH PENALTYJapan: man executed over killing 5 people
- APRIL 7, 2026JapanDEATH PENALTY
IRAN - Japanese citizen released
Shinnosuke Kawashima
MARCH 19, 2026JapanDEATH PENALTYJAPAN: COURT RULES KYOANI KILLER'S WITHDRAWAL OF DEATH SENTENCE APPEAL WAS VALID
The Osaka High Court ruled on March 17, 2026 that a defendant's withdrawal of his appeal against a death sentence in the Kyoto Animation arson-murder case is valid.
MARCH 9, 2026JapanDEATH PENALTYJAPAN: 87-YEAR-OLD MAN ON DEATH ROW FOR DOUBLE MURDER DIES IN DETENTION IN OSAKA
An 87-year-old man on death row for a double murder case more than four decades ago has died at the Osaka Detention House, Mainichi Broadcasting System reported on March 3, 2026.
FEBRUARY 22, 2026JapanDEATH PENALTYJAPAN: COURT REJECTS RETRIAL FOR MAN EXECUTED FOR 1992 CHILD MURDERS
The Fukuoka High Court rejected an appeal on February 16, 2026 for a retrial for the 1992 murder of two 7-year-old girls in the city of Iizuka in Fukuoka Prefecture, for which a death row convict was executed.
FEBRUARY 5, 2026JapanDEATH PENALTYJAPAN: COURT REJECTS RETRIAL REQUEST FOR EXECUTED MAN BELIEVED TO HAVE HAD LEPROSY
The Kumamoto District Court on January 28, 2026 rejected a retrial request from the family of a man with leprosy who was executed more than 60 years ago for a 1952 murder despite long claiming his innocence.
- FEBRUARY 3, 2026JapanDEATH PENALTY
JAPAN: DEATH ROW INMATE WHO BURIED 2 MEN ALIVE IN 2006 FOUND DEAD IN CELL
A death row inmate convicted of killing two people by burying them alive in Okayama Prefecture in western Japan in 2006, died on January 31, 2026, the Justice Ministry said, with suicide being suspected.
JANUARY 18, 2026JapanDEATH PENALTYJAPAN: COURT REJECTS INMATES' CALLS TO HALT HANGING ON INHUMANE GROUNDS
A Japanese court rejected on January 16, 2026 three death-row inmates' demands against the state to halt their executions by hanging as an inhumane practice in violation of an international convention prohibiting cruel punishment.
OCTOBER 14, 2025JapanDEATH PENALTYJAPAN: DEATH PENALTY FOR MAN WHO KILLED FOUR IN GUN AND KNIFE ATTACK
A Japanese court on October 14, 2025 sentenced a 34-year-old man to death for murdering two women as they were out for a stroll and two policemen who responded to the scene of the attack in Nagano Prefecture, central Japan, in 2023.
OCTOBER 9, 2025JapanDEATH PENALTYJAPAN: FORMER DEATH ROW INMATE IWAO HAKAMATA FILES DAMAGES SUIT AGAINST GOVERNMENT
A Japanese man who was acquitted last year in a retrial over a 1966 quadruple murder case filed a lawsuit on October 9, 2025 seeking around 600 million yen ($3.9 million) in damages from the state and local authorities, his lawyers said.
JUNE 29, 2025JapanDEATH PENALTYJAPAN: 'TWITTER KILLER' HANGED IN FIRST EXECUTION SINCE 2022
Japan executed on June 27, 2025 a man convicted of the 2017 serial murders of nine people near Tokyo, the government said, marking the country's first hanging since July 2022.
- JUNE 12, 2025JapanDEATH PENALTY
EX-MONGOLIA LEADER URGES JAPAN LAWMAKERS TO END DEATH PENALTY
A former Mongolian president known for abolishing his country's death penalty urged Japanese lawmakers in a recent interview to take the same step despite the public's continued support for executions.