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Japan executes two death-row inmates

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Abolish the dealth penalty.

1 ( +19 / -18 )

The death penalty is gross. Not only is it lowering the government to the level of killers, it's proven to NOT be a deterrent to crime, AND with the prevalence of innocent people being put to death it should be abolished immediately.

Additionally, I'm not sure about in Japan, but in America, the death penalty actually is more expensive than life imprisonment.

0 ( +18 / -18 )

keep'em coming eye say!

-1 ( +13 / -14 )

Apart from the United States, Japan is the only major industrialized democracy to carry out capital punishment, a practice that has led to repeated protests from European governments and human rights groups.

Does this imply that China is not an industrialized democracy? Maybe not democracy as we see it, but why leave them out? They are a major industrialized country.

1 ( +10 / -9 )

Abolish the waiting in death penalty. No need to use tax payer's money to keep the killers alive!

-5 ( +16 / -21 )

Japan and the US should take a long look at the countries which still carry out the filthy practice of execution and consider if this is the company in which they wish to be keeping. Dictatorships, theocracies and corrupt banana republics.

2 ( +13 / -11 )

yeah sure lets abolish the deathpenalty and keep alive the people who took away the lives of others and caused emotional pain to the relatives. Imo If you kill someone you also deserve to die period.

7 ( +20 / -13 )

eye for an eye

-4 ( +13 / -17 )

Brutal. The sooner it is abolished, the better.

The sad thing is, not many people doubt it in this country.

-2 ( +14 / -16 )

Very rare to execute a woman?

Well at least, if nothing else, Japan is an Equal Opportunity Killer.

5 ( +9 / -4 )

Does this imply that China is not an industrialized democracy? Maybe not democracy as we see it, but why leave them out? They are a major industrialized country.

You answered your own question.

10 ( +11 / -1 )

Maybe not democracy as we see it, but why leave them out?

Because is nothing unusual for dictatorships and authorial regimes (china's included) to execute somebody. There are tremendous differences between the justice processes in a democratic vs dictatorial countries, especially when death penalty is on the table

7 ( +8 / -1 )

Apart from the United States, Japan is the only major industrialized democracy to carry out capital punishment,

I guess it depends how you define "major," but Taiwan carried out five executions in 2011, and four in 2010.

5 ( +7 / -2 )

Interesting to start talking about democracy. In the UK many polls repeatedly show that the majority of the public support the death penalty for some crimes. It usually depends on how you ask the question, and when. I imagine it would be a very close thing, in a lot of industrialised democracies, if there were referendums on the issue.

5 ( +7 / -2 )

GOOD ON JAPAN! BRAVO! The more fools that deserve to be hung, great! Why should evil people that have selfishly killed others be allowed to keep on living?? And in some cases, not just keep on living, be back on the streets after they have killed even their own children?? SORRY! You do the crime, you do the time, and if you took somebodies life, gets what JAPAN will take your life too! So, BANZAI!! and I guess, evil people, Burn In Hell!

-3 ( +11 / -14 )

Japan wouldn't want to look "weak-kneed" now would they.

Yet another "tradition" that needs to stop.

0 ( +7 / -7 )

There are still 131 inmates on death row in Japan. Sachiko Eto is the fourth woman to be executed since 1950.

6 ( +6 / -0 )

Problem with the death penalty is that if evidence emerges down the line which proves innocence, or casts doubt on the conviction... it's too late. Remember, juries only pass a guilty verdict on the evidence they are given... if that evidence is flawed or incomplete innocent people may be sent to their deaths.

Unless there is clear video evidence showing the killer carrying out the act I would be very wary about executing someone. Even DNA evidence can be compromised.

9 ( +10 / -1 )

I for one can not wait for the day that Shoko Asahara swings.

He and his follwers deserve no better!

8 ( +11 / -4 )

The death penalty is outright savage. I could argue that there may be exhonerating circumstances, that it is not a deterrent, that it is expensive, etc. But the fact is that governments need to be a beacon of example. They shouldn't kill because they hand down the rule that killing is wrong. If we say that life is precious, we have to mean all life. It is simply morally bankrupt to kill out of state-sanctioned revenge.

The argument always comes "but the other person is dead! Why should the killers live?" Well, for two reasons: 1) Because we should not be killers and 2) Because you want life to be fair and it is anything but. You want to think that somewhere, somehow, the checkbook of good and evil will be balanced. You cling to the idea that life must be fair. But look at a killer. They have a desire to kill. Do you? Their desire to kill is not something they've chosen. They kill because they are sick and should be sequestered so they can't hurt anyone else, and rehabilitated if possible.

The world isn't fair and no amount of death will make it be. The sooner you divest yourself of that idea, the sooner you can get on dealing with the real world.

-2 ( +8 / -10 )

In Japan the murder rate is quite low thank goodness.

I am against the death penalty, but I must admit, I have very mixed emotions when it comes to murders of children or those that have killed for joy or it is just plain senseless.

It is not that black and white. Each case needs to be taken on it's individual merits and judged accordingly.

Is someone who murders someone in the heat of an argument the same as serial killer or child murderer?

GO HOME TONIGHT AND HUG YOUR FAMILY AND TELL THEM YOU LOVE THEM.

5 ( +7 / -3 )

For all of you that are saying NO MORE DEATH PENALTY it raises the question, would you feel the same way IF your family was murdered in a brutal way??? Perhaps many of you would change your thinking...

3 ( +8 / -5 )

@Zichi, yes Im Buddhist but I guess that when it comes to the death penalty, I really admire the way Muslims deal with criminals, so no body is perfect?? Here in Japan I love that scum criminals will get the death penalty, not like my native Mexico where they wait and wait for GOD to bring justice while Satanica Mafia terrorist gangs run in and out of jail if they have enough $$$$$ to pay off corrupt prison guards, etc...Yes!! I love Japan and its justice system too!!

-5 ( +6 / -11 )

Very rare to execute a woman?

Yes, but what a woman!

In 1995, police found the decomposing bodies of two men and four women stuffed into futons in the house of a 47-year-old faith healer named Sachiko Eto. The victims were followers of Eto who died during an exorcism intended to rid the victims of evil spirits, in which the participants beat each other with drum sticks and were beaten by Eto and two others. One other person who endured the beatings was seriously injured but survived. Eto claimed to be God’s messenger and condemned the followers tod death and was able to carry out the death because of her absolute power over them The police investigated the house after a woman reported she was beaten there and she disappeared. Neighbors said that Eto appeared to be an ordinary housewife even though sometimes strange drumming noises, screams and odors emanated from her house. In May 2002, Eto was sentenced to death for murder for killing four of the people and inflicting injuries that caused the death of two others. The court rejected her insanity plea. Three of Eto’s followers were given prison sentences for their role in the crime. In 2008 the Japanese Supreme Court upheld the death sentence.

7 ( +7 / -0 )

@Skeeter, great comment! Easy to feel sorry for all them lost souls on death row, daddy was a pimp drug addict mommy was a bosozoku motorcycle gang member in Yokohama and or Fukuoka, etc...they rape and kill your own wife and kids, so we should feel pity for scum criminals?? Forget about their victims?????? Hell no!! Let them hang high!! A bit of karma for these scum criminals.

-4 ( +6 / -10 )

Thanks for heads up Billy! Sachiko Eto was indeed a rare piece of work. Maybe in the end she deserved the same treatment she inflicted on her victims!

3 ( +5 / -2 )

@Elbuda, You obviously are not a buddhist or don't understand what buddhism is about, you are certianly blindly following few rules I guess... Death penalty issue is not about karma, not about vengeance, not even about punition, it is about you, us, the society being killers, no justice system can be safe enough to apply such power. How can you have the power and society agreement to kill someone when you try to punish him for killing ? This does not make sense ...

8 ( +10 / -2 )

You either defend human rights no matter what, or you don't. You either support Kantian philosophy or utilitarianist philosophy that happiness of many justifies the suffering of a few.

These people are basically, getting killed for our amusement. It makes us feel good that these killers are getting killed. It's entertainment, basically. But can we call such a society civilized?

5 ( +9 / -4 )

Murderers deserve to die, but we can't kill them without becoming them. And there's no doubt that innocent people have been executed in the past. So the best solution for us fallible humans is to imprison murderers until their victims stop being dead. If a mistake has been made the wrongfully convicted person can at least be released and compensated.

6 ( +8 / -2 )

Thanks Zichi! I will keep up the daimoku to make sure Japan stays "Safety Japan" NMRK NMRK NMRK, so funny that everybody has false ideas as to what all Buddhists should be like, my guess folk here think we all should be with shaved heads?? Pretend to be like the Dai lai Lama?? Sorry, I live in the real world. Karma is very strict, horrible criminals are just starting to pay for their evil karma, IMHO. RIP all victims of horrible scum criminals in Japan, in this world and the entire universe.

-4 ( +3 / -7 )

We can vary in opinions but IMO death sentence is just right for proven murderers. The only thing I don't agree is why place them in solitary cell and take time to hung them. Another thing, why is Asahara, the leader of the Aum religious org. with a death sentence, still not hung.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

Two fewer oxygen theives on the planet. Good riddance.

-1 ( +4 / -5 )

so funny that everybody has false ideas as to what all Buddhists should be like,

Elbuda amigo, it seems the only one with false ideas about Buddhism is you, my friend. A very confused, New Age version individually tailored to fit your needs. Reduced to its most basic tenet, Buddhism, above all, believes in the sanctity of life (notice I didn't say "human life"), so capital punishment and Buddhism are mutually exclusive. An oxymoron, if you like. No matter how you try to spin it with throwaway words like karma, etc, I'd also suggest a little deeper examination of this great religion you unintentionally are mocking.

-2 ( +2 / -4 )

bad people yes go to hell u deaserve the death penalty ....

-4 ( +3 / -7 )

Buddhism was started by of course the Buddha Siddhartha Gautama, and he believed that compassion is the path to enlightenment. He did not even believe in having harmful thoughts toward ANYBODY, not even the worst of criminals. He did not even believe in intentional killing of insects and plants. In extreme cases, you should even be killed rather than to kill.

2 ( +4 / -2 )

Very rare to execute a woman?

Wonder why that is?

2 ( +2 / -0 )

For those of you advocating execution, there was a case in the UK in the 50s where a police officer was murdered. A young man called Derek Bentley and another called Christopher Craig were involved in his death. Although Craig carried out the murder Bentley was executed as an accessory while the murderer was released in 1963. Bentley was eventually given a Royal Pardon and cleared officially of the murder... but by then he had been dead for over 40 years.

Yes Bentley was a villain, yes he was carrying a gun, and yes he was present at the murder, but he never fired a weapon, and was restrained by another policeman at the time of the murder, yet he was hanged. His confession was written by the police, as was proven by forensic scientists.

Is that the system you advocate? Executing someone for a crime they didn't commit because the evidence at the time, or the prevailing justice system says they are guilty under an archaic law? Bentley was a villain, but he didn't deserve to die. How many in America and Japan have suffered the same fate?

6 ( +7 / -1 )

GOOD JOB! The top 3 economic powers in the world are the only Nations that seem to get it. 123= US,China,Japan.

Most people are too ignorant to realize that the death penalty is a necessary part of a civilized and functioning society. You take away the right to punish evil acts and the defenseless and the weakest among society will suffer.

Just look at South korea after they stopped using the death penalty:

-The world's third highest rape rate -The number of child rapes here has surged by 70 percent over the past three years.

2012/8 a 23-year-old man abducted a sleeping 7-year-old raped her and left her to die under a bridge.

http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/nation/2012/01/117_67833.html"

http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/include/print.asp?newsIdx=118774

0 ( +6 / -6 )

I know that Eto lady was giuilty for beating for beating those poor people to death, but still...

Hanging a woman?

That Taki fellow is NO BETTER!

-7 ( +0 / -7 )

Most people are too ignorant to realize that the death penalty is a necessary part of a civilized and functioning society. You take away the right to punish evil acts and the defenseless and the weakest among society will suffer.

Canada... European countries... yes we all have masses of suffering people because the death penalty was abolished. You wouldn't be an American republican would you, Shiningfinger? Violent crime in the UK, for example, is DECREASING, and we got rid of the death penalty in the early 60s.

-3 ( +1 / -4 )

Hanging a 65-yr-old lady... Wow!! Even in the worst case scenarios, this just never can be right.

-4 ( +0 / -4 )

The unfortunate reality is that crime will always exist and as a result a criminal justice system will exist to answer to it. The real question is : Do countries with the death penalty have lower crime rates? (~_^)

-3 ( +0 / -3 )

I never said EVERY person would change their minds only that I feel that some would. Imagine you have a daughter and a "bad person" ( lets not say here that a very bad person can only be a man and not a woman) rapes and murders your baby girl or boy and through forensic evidence it is discovered that your child endured such extreme pain and punishment before dying. I am not putting down religion here but we are all humans and we are all subject to our feelings. Personally, I support the death penalty. I am not saying you have to feel the same way these people were found guilty in a court of law of these crimes and were therefor given this punishment. IF they wanted to live life like a NORMAL person they should have not have done the crime.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

Thunderbird: How many in America and Japan have suffered the same fate?

According to the University of Vermont, in the US as of 2010, 139 people have been released from death row with new-found evidence of their innocence since 1973. And if you thumbs-down this it means you don't believe the numbers so produce better ones.

1 ( +3 / -2 )

ben4shortSEP. 27, 2012 - 08:11PM JST Elbuda amigo, it seems the only one with false ideas about Buddhism is you, my friend. A very confused, New Age version individually tailored to fit your needs. Reduced to its most basic tenet, Buddhism, above all, believes in the sanctity of life (notice I didn't say "human life"), so capital punishment and Buddhism are mutually exclusive. An oxymoron, if you like. No matter how you try to spin it with throwaway words like karma, etc, I'd also suggest a little deeper examination of this great religion you unintentionally are mocking.

I guess our Amigo Elbuda will need to go and change his religion now? Jokes aside though - I'm with Elbuda and the few others on this. As papigiulio said above, "Imo If you kill someone you also deserve to die period"

Some food for thought for our good friends here telling Amigo Elbuda about Buddhism.

Top 10 countries with the largest Buddhist populations. ( Highest first ) China, Japan, Thailand, Vietnam, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Cambodia, India, South Korea, Taiwan

The top 4 - China, Japan, Thailand and Vietnam have capital punishment.

Additionally India and Taiwan also have capital punishment going. That makes 6 out of 10 countries with the largest Buddhist populations maintaining the death penalty.

Looks to me that most Buddhists are pretty cool with the death penalty :)

Now I'm not saying the justice system is perfect. People get wrongfully convicted and executed all the time. This is true.

But if Elbuda is going to take the heat on his views about capital punishment and Buddhism, ya'll help spread the word about the correct form of Buddhism to thy folks in those 6 predominantly Buddhist countries with capital punishment.

1 ( +3 / -2 )

Readers, religion is not relevant to this discussion.

Those who commit heinous crimes need to receive the full punishment for their crime...if that means capital punishment so be it.

1 ( +6 / -5 )

There are checks and balances to ensure justice is administered fairly.

Have a read about Iwao Hakamada. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iwao_Hakamada

In Japan, only four death row inmates have won acquittal on retrial since World War II, the last in 1989. One waited 33 years and four months before being exonerated in 1983. I read that from the New York Times dated May 4th, 2008.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Good riddance. 2 less scum in this world.

0 ( +6 / -6 )

"death row inmates can wait for their executions for many years"

Poor taxpayers.

1 ( +3 / -2 )

Prisons are for rehabilitation. The executions were justified and the penalty for committing a major crime. The execution will NOT prevent someone from murdering another person, but it is the penalty.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Capital Punishment, is it wrong? or right? I say no one has the right to take a life except the one who create's life. No mater what religion you are. Elbuda Mexicano, I admire your courage, I would pick you for my team anytime. gambatte kudasai

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

Society killing a killer is not the same as a killer killing his victim. It is warranted punishment. If society thought the killer's killing was warranted, the person would not have been convicted of murder. If you killed someone raping your wife, are you a murderer? All living people face the death penalty, yet people keep producing children who someday will be the victims of death......so why does anyone expect the death penalty for murderers to prevent other murders? If murderers are to be forgiven for killing their victims, why is society not forgiven for killing the killers? Maybe punishment for the rest of their lives, by hard labor and little food and drink would be a more agreeable punishment for killers.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

International advocacy groups say the system is cruel because death row inmates can wait for their executions for many years in solitary confinement and are only told of their impending death a few hours ahead of time.

Is 'the system' more cruel than murderers who kill their victims viciously and thoughtlessly for their own gains?

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

Barbaric, uncivilised and utterly without justification!

1 ( +4 / -3 )

I've said it on here before, but the death penalty is not befitting of any nation that dares to call itself enlightened. It is justice reduced to mere barbarism. It's the worst, most vengeful characteristics of human nature elevated to the ideals of the state.

Moreover, the effect of the death penalty on crime levels in society is actually the opposite of what its proponents claim: in studies of crime rates in US cities shortly following executions, it was found that violent crimes, including murder, actually increased in frequency. This is called the brutalisation effect. It happens as people internalise the logic - as sanctified by the state - that violence and murder is a valid way to address wrongs committed against oneself. The effect of an execution is to whet angry people's appetite for blood, which then leads them to become more violent themselves - only under the impression that their violence is somehow righteous vengeance.

Any civilised nation will treat crime as an indictment of its society. Those nations that really do have the moral courage to examine the roots and origins of crime, to look into the minds of criminals however twisted they may be, and seek to put an end to the conditions that foster crime - those are the countries that achieve reductions in crime, and manage to address their social tensions.

Nations like Japan and the United States, who think that evil is something you can just execute away, are doomed to perpetuate their broken societies forever. They do not deserve to be counted among the civilised nations.

3 ( +6 / -3 )

Any civilised nation will treat crime as an indictment of its society.

This is a brilliant quote. And I agree wholeheartedly.

This is the difference between those who don't wish for the death penalty and those who do: there is a lust for revenge and a quick fix in the former, and a desire to understand and solve in the latter.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Oops.

Comment should read:

Any civilised nation will treat crime as an indictment of its society.

This is a brilliant quote. And I agree wholeheartedly.

This is the difference between those who wish for the death penalty and those who don't: there is a lust for revenge and a quick fix in the former, and a desire to understand and solve in the latter.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

If a criminal who was spared because of mercifully or leniently from capital punishment (death penalty). That disease will spread and encourage more people to commit crime and it is the law abiding citizen will suffer the pain and die.

So death penalty is the only medicine for the criminal and save the life of the innocent.

-4 ( +0 / -4 )

If a criminal who was spare because of mercifully or leniently from capital punishment (death penalty). That disease will spread and encourage more people to commit crime and it is the law abiding citizen will suffer the pain and die.

This is so ridiculously groundless and unfounded.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

@antolop111, do you have any numbers, study ? I don't believe that countries which abolished death penalty have higher crime rate ...

2 ( +2 / -0 )

there was a case in the UK in the 50s where a police officer was murdered.

In the case cited by Thunderbird2, I think Craig was a minor, while Bentley was older, but Craig was carrying the gun. A policeman ordered him to hand it over, and at that point Bentley said "Give it to him." Those words got him hanged. Bentley maintained to the last that he was telling Craig to surrender the weapon, not to fire it.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

It's not easy to hang a convicted person. There should be many stages to go through, I think. And in many cases, the sentences would be reduced to life sentence or even released if found, the said person is innocent after all.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

the sentences would be reduced to life sentence or even released if found, the said person is innocent after all.

Even released if found innocent??

You'd hope so, right?

1 ( +1 / -0 )

They should abolish murderous cults and armed robbery turned homicide before they abolish the death penalty.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

I feel sympathy and I feel sorry for the victims, the violence that caused their death, the feeling of injustice and emptyness that a murdered love one cause to their family, friends. I read more than once that families are left in a bottomless hole, sons become criminals, husbands or wives kill themselves in despair. Father and mothers die of sadness that last decades. And how many times the killer is photographed smiling while the victim's family is all head down? And how many times the killer's family sues PDs, the state, and win millions in legal battles? But despite it all, it doesn't justify that can behave as God - destroying lives, even if it's the miserable life of a sadistic killer.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

If they really have to do it then at least don't use hanging. Its medieval and cruel. Makes me feel sick actually. Switzerland does not have any death penalty and it also has very low crime.

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

Thank you Japan for providing justice to victims and their families

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

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