In Japan, death row inmates are only given 24 hours notice before they die. We know that cult leader Shoko Asahara is gonna hang, but we don't know if he has one day or 20 years to sit in his cell meditating on more subway gas attacks.
There's been a lull at the gallows for the last 15 months. Until yesterday. 4 prisoners, ages 44 to 77, were hanged on Christmas Day in Japan. The death sentence in Japan is controversial, but experts say that the Ministry of Justice's decision to execute on the last week of the year means they're planning to stick by the current system.
Well, Koizumi's minister of Justice was a devout Buddhist and would sign off (hanko off?) on the death penalty paperwork. Abe's man, on the other hand, seems right for it. Made a clear statement by doing it on Christmas, and right after the diet recessed so that the DPJ and CPJ couldn't raise any objections.
Posted by: Ken | December 29, 2006 at 10:03 PM
That should have said that Koizumi's man wouldn't sign off...
Posted by: ken | December 29, 2006 at 10:04 PM