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 GIAPPONE, NO A RICHIESTE CONSIGLIO EUROPA

 - TOKYO, 22 FEB - Il Giappone non ha alcunaintenzione di abolire la pena di morte ne' di approvare unamoratoria sulle esecuzioni. Lo ha ribadito oggi il ministro della giustizia giapponeseMasahiko Komura al presidente del Consiglio d'Europa GunnnarJansson in visita in Giappone a capo di una delegazionedell'organizzazione internazionale che si batte per il rispettodei diritti umani. ''L'80 % della popolazione, secondo i sondaggi, e' convintoassertore della pena di morte. Non c'e' alcun bisogno pertantodi pensare ad una moratoria delle esecuzioni'' ha detto inrisposta ad una precisa richiesta di Jansson. Il presidente del Consiglio d'Europa, che raggruppa 43 paesi membri tra cui l'Italia, ha anche chiesto di poter ispezionarele carceri con il braccio della morte. Komura si e' limitato adassicurare che la richiesta potra' essere presa in considerazione qualora lo solleciti il parlamento. Il Giappone ha acquisito nel 1996 lo status di osservatore del Consiglio d'Europa. Interpellato in proposito, Komura hadetto che ''e' attualmente sotto esame'' la possibilita' diaderire alla convenzione del Consiglio in base alla quale glistranieri incarcerati possono essere trasferiti per scontare lapena nei paesi di origine. In Giappone finora questo non e'permesso.

Human rights head pushes to end death penalty Japan is told it may lose its observer status with the Council of Europe if capital punishment remains in place.

Asahi Evening News By TARO KARASAKI February 22, 2001 The head of the Council of Europe's committee on human rights said Wednesday that Japan must consider abolishing the death penalty if it hopes to continue to be an observer nation to the intergovernmental organization. Gunnar Jansson is in Japan on a fact-finding mission to prepare a report on Japan's reasons for maintaining capital punishment and the conditions faced by death row inmates. The results of the report will be discussed in a committee session in late June. Jansson was to meet Justice Minister Masahiko Komura today to discuss the issue. In an interview with Asahi Evening News, Jansson said the committee hopes Japan will abolish capital punishment, as have all European member countries of the 43-nation council. Of the six observer nations to the council-a forum for discussing human rights issues based in Strasbourg, France-only the United States and Japan maintain capital punishment. Committee members may demand observer countries' memberships be revoked. ``It is possible,'' Jansson said. ``Although dialogue is preferable.'' ``Considering that they (the Japanese) have applied for this (observer) status on their own initiative, we expect Japan to act,'' Jansson said, adding that he hoped to kick-start debate on the issue in Japan. Between 1994 and 1997, Jansson campaigned for an end to capital punishment in Europe. Since 1997, no legal execution has occurred there, he said. In preparation for his report in that campaign, Jansson's office sent rapporteurs to dozens of European prisons and met with hundreds of death row inmates. Jansson planned to visit the Tokyo Detention Center in Katsushika Ward, after his meeting with Komura today. Through the Japanese consul general in Strasbourg, Jansson asked the Japanese government for permission to interview death row prisoners held at the center. But an official from the Justice Ministry said Wednesday it was unlikely Jansson would be granted that right ``as meetings are usually limited to family or lawyers'' handling the case. Jansson said accessibility to death row inmates will be considered when he compiles his report, adding that he has received permission to interview death row inmates in the United States as part of a fact-finding mission scheduled for May. ``In all countries I have visited until now it (visitation rights) has not been a problem,'' he said.