Japan hanged three convicted murderers yesterday in its first executions in more than three months. But in one concession to critics, it disclosed the executed inmates' names for the first time.
Japan is the only major industrialized country other than the US to use the death penalty, which enjoys strong support among the public despite criticism from human rights groups.
The hangings bring to nine the number of executions this year in Japan. The last executions were in August, about a month before Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda, seen as more centrist than his conservative predecessor, took office.
In a concession to death-penalty opponents, the justice ministry for the first time to release the names of the executed inmates.
"On consideration, we decided to release a bit more information. I made the decision," said Justice Minister Kunio Hatoyama, who signed off on his first executions..
The inmates were Noboru Ikemoto, 75, who was hanged in the western metropolis of Osaka, and Seiha Fujima, 47, and Hiroki Fuka-wa, 42, who were executed in Tokyo, a ministry statement said.
In recent times, Japan has only confirmed the number of people put to death. Until 1998, it did not even confirm when it executed prisoners.
The justice ministry had argued that releasing the names would be inconsiderate to the families of executed people and to other death-row inmates.
Human rights group Amnesty International welcomed the move as progress, but reiterated its call on Japan to abolish the death penalty.
"We praise this move away from secrecy in executions," Amnesty International Japan said in a statement. "But on the other hand, the latest executions bring to nine the total this year, which is more than last year."
"The global trend towards abolishing capital punishment is spreading regardless of differences in political systems, religion and culture. We express deep concern that Japan keeps going against this trend," it said.
Japan only informs inmates shortly before their executions that they are being taken to the gallows, in what critics say is an attempt to prevent last-minute appeals.
Japan Federation of Bar Association called the executions "extremely deplorable" and urged a moratorium on executions "until a nationwide debate can be made on the problems in capital punishment."
"We call for disclosure of a wide range of information on the death penalty, not just the names of the executed," it said in a statement, pointing out that four Japanese death-row inmates had been acquitted in retrials in the past.
Of the three executed men, Fujima was convicted of five murders. In 1982, he stabbed to death a 16-year-old girl who resisted his advances and also killed her mother and 13-year-old sister.
Fujima was also convicted of killing an accomplice of the triple murder, as well as an accomplice in a separate burglary after they feuded about money.
Ikemoto, the eldest of the executed inmates, was convicted of murdering three people in his neighborhood and attempting to kill another one in 1985, the ministry said.
Fukuwa was convicted of the murder-robbery of two women in 1999, in addition to swindling money from two other people.
Japan resumed executions last year after a 15-month gap because a previous justice minister, Seiken Sugiura, said the death penalty went against his Buddhist beliefs.
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