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
- NOVEMBER 2, 2005JapanDEATH PENALTY
JAPAN. KOIZUMI CAUTIONS SUGIURA OVER REMARKS ON DEATH PENALTY
Japan’s Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi urged new Justice Minister Seiken Sugiura to be cautious when expressing a personal view on controversial issues, a warning against his remarks the previous day in which he said he would not sign any orders for exe
- NOVEMBER 1, 2005JapanDEATH PENALTY
JAPAN. JUSTICE MINISTER IN DEATH PENALTY RETREAT
Seiken Sugiura, Japan's new justice minister, was forced into an embarrassing retreat, less than 24 hours after he said he would refuse to sign execution orders because he opposes the death penalty.
- OCTOBER 29, 2005JapanDEATH PENALTY
JAPAN. COURT OVERTURNS DEATH SENTENCE FOR INSURANCE MONEY MURDER
the Sendai High Court, Japan, sentenced Toshio Hosoya to life in prison for killing his wife and her mother to obtain insurance money, overturning a lower court's death sentence on the grounds that the crime had not been a carefully worked out plan.
- OCTOBER 24, 2005JapanDEATH PENALTY
The death penalty is provided for by the Criminal Procedure Law and by the Penal Code for a number of offences (13) but, in practice is applied only for murder.
The death penalty is provided for by the Criminal Procedure Law and by the Penal Code for a number of offences (13) but, in practice is applied only for murder.
- OCTOBER 17, 2005JapanDEATH PENALTY
JAPAN. TOP COURT UPHOLDS DEATH FOR MURDER OF 2
the Supreme Court of Japan upheld a lower court's death sentence on Shinji Mutsuda, a 35-year-old man, for murdering two people in a robbery case in 1995.
- OCTOBER 15, 2005JapanDEATH PENALTY
JAPAN. TRIO CONVICTED OF MURDERING FOUR SENT TO GALLOWS
the Nagoya High Court sentenced three men to death for murdering four people in 1994, crimes that occurred when the defendants were still minors.
- SEPTEMBER 30, 2005JapanDEATH PENALTY
JAPAN. COURT HEARING ON "SECRET EXECUTIONS" OPENS
a court hearing opened on a lawsuit filed by Tomoyoshi Emura, a lawyer who was seeking disclosure of the layout of the execution chamber at the Osaka detention centre in a bid to break the secrecy surrounding executions in Japan.
- SEPTEMBER 28, 2005JapanDEATH PENALTY
JAPAN. COUPLE SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR SERIAL KILLINGS
a Japanese couple, Futoshi Matsunaga, 44, and his common-law wife Junko Ogata, 43, were sentenced to death at the district court in Fukuoka on the southern island of Kyushu for killing seven people, including six of their relatives, dismembering their bod
- SEPTEMBER 15, 2005JapanDEATH PENALTY
JAPAN. INMATE FIRST OF YEAR TO BE HANGED
a man convicted of robbing, raping and killing two women in the 1980s was executed, Japan's first hanging of the year.
- SEPTEMBER 9, 2005JapanDEATH PENALTY
JAPAN. YAKUZA HITMAN SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR GANGLAND MURDERS
Kaiichi Yamamoto, a gang boss who gunned down five rivals in a Saitama Prefecture city was sentenced to death by the Saitama District Court, Japan. Yamamoto, 58, the gang boss, was convicted on five counts of murder and for firearms violations following t
- SEPTEMBER 9, 2005JapanDEATH PENALTY
JAPAN. MAN TO FACE GALLOWS FOR MURDERING FRIEND'S SONS
the Utsunomiya District Court, Japan, sentenced Akihiro Shimoyama, a 40-year-old man, to death for murdering two boys in Oyama, Tochigi Prefecture, in 2004.
- SEPTEMBER 9, 2005JapanDEATH PENALTY
JAPAN. MAN TO FACE GALLOWS FOR MURDERING FRIEND'S SONS
the Utsunomiya District Court, Japan, sentenced Akihiro Shimoyama, a 40-year-old man, to death for murdering two boys in Oyama, Tochigi Prefecture, in 2004.