according to a government survey, Japanese voters were overwhelmingly...

according to a government survey, Japanese voters were overwhelmingly in favour of retaining the death penalty. The Cabinet Office poll of 2,049 people found 81.4 percent in favour of capital punishment, a 2.8 point increase from 1999 and a 7.6 point rise from 1994. Local media interpreted the finding as a reflection of the public's concern about violent crime. Some 60.3 percent said violent crime would increase if capital punishment were abolished. 
Only 6.0 percent opposed the death penalty, a fall of 7.6 points from 1994.