Japanese and United States Criminal Justice System

Case Comparison – Japanese and United States Criminal Justice System
Your Name
Subject and Section
Professor’s Name
March 17, 2023
I want to examine the criminal justice system of Japan in terms of its use of the death penalty. Japan is one of the few industrialized nations still employing capital punishment, and there is an ongoing debate about whether this is a just and effective way to punish criminals.
According to a recent article in The Japan Times, the use of the death penalty in Japan has been declining in recent years. In 2020, only two death sentences were handed down, and no executions were carried out (Andreescu & Hughes, 2020). However, the article notes that this decline may be due more to the logistical difficulties of executions during the COVID-19 pandemic than to a fundamental shift in public opinion or government policy.
Japan's use of the death penalty dates back to the Meiji era in the late 19th century and has been controversial ever since (Johnson & Zimring, 2009). Supporters of capital punishment argue that it is a necessary deterrent to violent crime and provides justice for the victims and their families. Opponents, on the other hand, argue that it is cruel and inhumane and that it does not effectively deter crime.
One particular point of controversy in Japan's use of the death penalty is the secrecy surrounding the process. In Japan, death row inmates are not notified of their execution until the morning of the scheduled date, and their families are not informed until after the execution (Insider, 2022). Human rights organizations have criticized this lack of transparency. They argue that it violates the inmates' right to due process and makes it difficult to hold the government accountable for any mistakes or abuses.
Overall, the use of the death penalty in Japan remains contentious, with solid arguments on both sides. As Japan grapples with this issue, it will be essential to consider the legal and moral implications of capital punishment and its practical effectiveness in preventing crime and promoting justice.
Describe the Dimension
As mentioned earlier, I have chosen the country of Japan, and the dimension of criminal justice I will examine is the death penalty. According to the Amnesty International report of 2020, Japan is one of the 55 countries still using the death penalty as a form of punishment. In 2020, the country executed three people by hanging, bringing the total number of executions since 2013 to 45 (Death Penalty Information Center, 2023).
The controversy surrounding the death penalty in Japan is long-standing, with proponents arguing that it is an essential tool for maintaining social order and protecting society from violent criminals. However, opponents of the death penalty argue that it is a cruel and inhumane punishment that does not serve as an effective deterrent and that there is a risk of wrongful conviction. Moreover, there are concerns about the transparency of the death penalty system in Japan, including that death row inmates are not informed of their execution until the day it is carried out.
In Japan, the death penalty is carried out by hanging, and it is applied to people who have been convicted of certain crimes, inc...