University professors and others are suing the government for disclosure, arguing that most of the documents requested for information disclosure regarding the executions of six former death row inmates are not disclosed because it is impossible to verify whether the sentences were carried out properly. The case was filed in the Osaka District Court.
The suit was filed by two people, including Professor Koji Oda of Ritsumeikan University Law School, a lawyer who worked for a former death row inmate.
According to the lawsuit, the government used to publish statistical data on the number of people executed each year, but since November 1998, the number has been published on the day of execution, and since October 2007, the number of people executed on death row has been published. The name, date of birth, crime facts, etc. are made public.
Last year, two people, including Professor Oda, requested information disclosure for documents related to the executions of six people, including former Aum Shinrikyo leader Akiaki Asahara, real name Chizuo Matsumoto, a former death row inmate.
Regarding this, most of the information was not disclosed because it was said that ``disclosing information about the death penalty to the public could harm the execution of the sentence and public safety and order.''
The two men filed a lawsuit on the 23rd demanding the disclosure of documents, arguing that unless the information is made public, it will be impossible to verify whether the death penalty stipulated by the penal law is being carried out properly, and that the government's response is illegal. The case was filed in the Osaka District Court.
Professor Oda said, ``Hanging violates Article 36 of the Constitution, which prohibits cruel punishment.There is a need to disclose specific information and discuss the death penalty, which takes people's lives.''
On the other hand, the Ministry of Justice said, ``We cannot comment because we have not received the complaint.''