Japan death penalty support remains high in public opinion surveys

Public opinion in Japan shows strong support for the retention of the death penalty. According to a Cabinet Office survey released in early 2025, 83.1% of respondents believe the death penalty is unavoidable, while only 16.5% support its abolition. Furthermore, 71.2% of those surveyed believe that violent crime would increase if the death penalty were abolished, indicating a widespread social perception of its deterrent effect.

However, experts note a distinction between public perception and scientific verification. While the social belief in deterrence is high, proving a causal link between capital punishment and reduced crime rates is complex, as it requires isolating the penalty from other variables such as policing, socioeconomic conditions, and judicial systems.

In response to these social trends, Amnesty International Japan is hosting an introductory seminar in Tokyo to discuss the global and domestic status of the death penalty. The seminar aims to address issues such as the trend toward global abolition, the specific conditions of Japan's system, and the limitations regarding prisoner communication and the retrial process.