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
- DECEMBER 27, 2003JapanDEATH PENALTY
Mamoru Takuma, who was earlier in 2003 sentenced to...
Mamoru Takuma, who was earlier in 2003 sentenced to death for murdering eight children at an elementary school in Osaka Prefecture in 2001, married a female supporter after his sentence was finalized
- DECEMBER 9, 2003JapanDEATH PENALTY
The Tokyo High Court overturned the death sentence...
The Tokyo High Court overturned the death sentence against Kenji Chiba, a 56-year-old man, and sentenced him to life imprisonment
- DECEMBER 5, 2003JapanDEATH PENALTY
The Tokyo High Court upheld the death penalty on Yasuo...
The Tokyo High Court upheld the death penalty on Yasuo Hayashi, a former senior member of the Aum Supreme Truth cult, for his role in the 1995 sarin gas attack on the Tokyo subway system and other offenses
- NOVEMBER 13, 2003JapanDEATH PENALTY
The Philippine Supreme Court commuted the death sentence...
The Philippine Supreme Court commuted the death sentence of Hideshi Suzuki, a 47-year-old Japanese man convicted of drug trafficking, to life imprisonment
- OCTOBER 29, 2003JapanDEATH PENALTY
The Tokyo District Court, Japan, sentenced Tomomasa...
The Tokyo District Court, Japan, sentenced Tomomasa Nakagawa, a senior figure of the Aum Supreme Truth cult, to death for multiple murder in the 1995 Tokyo subway sarin gas attack and 10 other crimes
- OCTOBER 1, 2003JapanDEATH PENALTY
The Council of Europe lamented the lack of progress...
The Council of Europe lamented the lack of progress in efforts to persuade the United States and Japan to abolish the death penalty and again warned that their observer status at the pan-European rights body was at risk
- SEPTEMBER 26, 2003JapanDEATH PENALTY
The death penalty for Mamoru Takuma, who stabbed eight...
The death penalty for Mamoru Takuma, who stabbed eight children to death and injured 15 others at Ikeda Primary School in Ikeda, Osaka Prefecture, in 2001, was finalised after he dismissed his lawyers' appeal of the sentence to the Osaka High Court
- SEPTEMBER 16, 2003JapanDEATH PENALTY
Justice Minister Mayumi Moriyama said she was still...
Justice Minister Mayumi Moriyama said she was still convinced that the death penalty should be retained in Japan, days after she approved the third execution of a death row inmate while she was in office
- SEPTEMBER 13, 2003JapanDEATH PENALTY
The death sentence of Kazumi Taga, a 53 year old Japanese...
The death sentence of Kazumi Taga, a 53 year old Japanese man, was reduced to life in prison through a plea bargain after he admitted to killing his wife and daughter
- SEPTEMBER 12, 2003JapanDEATH PENALTY
Shinji Mukai, a 42 year old Japanese man convicted...
Shinji Mukai, a 42 year old Japanese man convicted of murdering three people, including a mother and her child, was executed by hanging in what was Japan's first execution in a year
- SEPTEMBER 12, 2003JapanDEATH PENALTY
Amnesty International Japan denounced the Justice Ministry's...
Amnesty International Japan denounced the Justice Ministry's latest execution of a prisoner, the third person to be hanged under Justice Minister Mayumi Moriyama, which also drew a lawmaker protest
- SEPTEMBER 2, 2003JapanDEATH PENALTY
The Sapporo High Court in Japan overturned the death...
The Sapporo High Court in Japan overturned the death sentence given to Kazuyuki Oikawa, 26, for the murder of two children and the attempted murder of another on 8 August 2001, sentencing him to life in prison