On November 27, a survey has revealed that almost 79

On November 27, a survey has revealed that almost 79.3 % of people nationwide support the death penalty - a record level of approval compared to 6 similar polls conducted since 1956. An all-time low 8.8 % of respondents said that capital punishment should be abolished, the first time that public support for scrapping the death penalty had fallen below the 10 % mark. The increase in the approval rating probably reflects growing public concern about crime in light of the series of heinous crimes that the nation has seen in recent years, including the sarin gas attack and the Wakayama mass curry-poisoning case in 1998. Respondents were also asked why they favored the death penalty and were permitted to select more than one answer. A significant 49.3 % said the perpetrators of serious violent crimes should lose their lives to atone for their wrongdoings. Another reason, cited by 48.6 % of the respondents, was that victims and their families would not be satisfied unless those convicted of crimes against them were executed. In addition, 48.2 % said more crimes would be committed if the death penalty were abolished, while 45.0 % said those convicted would go on to repeat the same kind of crime unless the death penalty were kept in place. The 8.8% who said the death penalty should be scrapped outright, marked a 4.8 percentage point fall from the previous record low of 13.6 % in a survey conducted in 1994. The most common reason given for favoring abolition of capital punishment was that the government has no right to take people's lives, which was chosen by 44.3 %.