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
MARCH 18, 2016JapanDEATH PENALTYJAPAN: KOBE MAN SENTENCED TO DEATH OVER MURDER OF 6 - YEAR - OLD GIRL
The Kobe District Court handed down a death sentence to a man accused of murdering a 6-year-old girl
- JANUARY 1, 2016JapanDEATH PENALTY
The death penalty in Japan is provided for 13 crimes
The death penalty in Japan is provided for 13 crimes
DECEMBER 18, 2015JapanDEATH PENALTYJAPAN: TWO CONVICTED MURDERERS HANGED
Japan executed two death row prisoners, including the nation's first of a condemned inmate sentenced by jurors, officials and media said, as campaigners called for the country to abolish capital punishment.
DECEMBER 15, 2015JapanDEATH PENALTYJAPAN: MAN SERVING LIFE FOR MURDER SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR ANOTHER MURDER
A 40-year-old man already convicted of killing a woman in Aichi Prefecture in 2007 was sentenced to death for a murder in 1998.
OCTOBER 4, 2015JapanDEATH PENALTYJAPAN: PRISONER DIES AFTER 46 YEARS ON DEATH ROW
Masaru Okunishi, a death-row inmate who was seeking a retrial over a 1961 wine poisoning case, died at the Hachioji medical prison in western Tokyo. He was 89.
JUNE 25, 2015JapanDEATH PENALTYJAPAN: MURDERER CONVICT EXECUTED, GOVERNMENT ABE’S TWELFTH EXECUTION
Japan executed a man who robbed and killed a woman after plotting the crime with accomplices he met online.
FEBRUARY 3, 2015JapanDEATH PENALTYJAPAN: SUPREME COURT NULLIFIES TWO DEATH SENTENCES HANDED DOWN IN LAY JUDGE TRIALS
JANUARY 24, 2015JapanDEATH PENALTYJAPAN: CABINET OFFICE POLL, 80% OF RESPONDENTS THINK DEATH PENALTY ‘PERMISSIBLE’
The Government of Japan released an opinion poll showing 80.3 percent of respondents considered the
- JANUARY 1, 2015JapanDEATH PENALTY
The death penalty in Japan is provided for 13 crimes
The death penalty in Japan is provided for 13 crimes
DECEMBER 28, 2014JapanDEATH PENALTYJAPAN: 129 INMATES REMAIN ON DEATH ROW
Japan’s prisons had 129 inmates on death row as of Dec 26, according to a Justice Ministry report.
- NOVEMBER 12, 2014JapanDEATH PENALTY
JAPAN: LAWYERS' GROUP URGES NEW JUSTICE MINISTER TO SUSPEND EXECUTIONS
The Japan Federation of Bar Associations submitted a written request for Justice Minister Yoko
- OCTOBER 10, 2014JapanDEATH PENALTY
a death sentence of a man, who was declared guilty of murder, was overturned to life
a death sentence of a man, who was declared guilty of murder, was overturned to life