Kyodo News

JAPAN: Justice minister says Japan will keep death penalty

Justice Minister Mayumi Moriyama on Friday defended the government's policy of not publicizing the names of death-row inmates who are executed and said Japan will maintain capital punishment.

She said her ministry will limit the information released about executions to the dates and executions per se, in response to criticism of the ministry's terse announcement Thursday that two people had been put to death.

Asked about a review of capital punishment, she said, "I am not going to voice my personal opinion, but the fact that nearly 80% of Japanese people accept capital punishment is an important factor."