More than 80% of people in Japan support capital punishment: Poll

More than 80% of people in Japan support the death penalty, according to a recent poll on the issue taken late last year. Compared to the earlier poll in 2019, support for capital punishment edged up 2.3 percentage points to 83.1%.

The proportion calling for the abolition of death penalty, on the other hand, rose to a sharper 7.5 points to 16.5%, according to poll results released on February 21. It is the fifth time in a series that support for the system has exceeded 80%.

One of the most common reasons for supporting the death penalty is concern that abolition of the system is likely to lead to a rise in atrocious crimes in the country. Conducted in the period from October to December, the poll collected opinions from 3,000 people aged 18 and older.

The poll has been conducted after an 88-year-old man recently got acquitted in a retrial of a case concerning a 1966 quadruple murder case. 37.5% said the death penalty should be abolished if life imprisonment excluding parole is introduced.

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