The European Parliament adopted by 43 votes to 0, with 4 abstentions, a resolution on the death penalty in Japan.
The resolution was tabled by the S&D, Greens/EFA, EPP, GUE/NGL and ALDE groups.
Parliament notes that 2011 has been the first year without any execution in Japan since 1992, but also notes that according to press reports, the new Minister of Justice, Toshio Ogawa, announced that he did not wish to continue the policy of ‘caution’ of his predecessor, Hiraoka Hideo, and would be prepared to sign execution orders again. Whilst welcoming the fact that no executions have taken place in Japan since July 2010, Members urgently call on the Minister of Justice, Toshio Ogawa, not to approve any execution order in the future and to support the work of the study group. They recall that some 130 persons sentenced to death in Japan are currently on death row.
Parliament also calls on Japan to sustain its efforts towards returning to the de facto moratorium, which was in place from November 1989 until March 1993, and to encourage public authorities, Members of Parliament, civil society organisations and the media to engage in a national debate on the use of capital punishment in the country.