The Death Penalty in Japan

1. Front Matter

   Pages 1-19

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2. Introduction: Vox Populi, Vox Dei?

   • Mai Sato

   Pages 21-35

3. Public Attitudes towards the Death Penalty

   • Mai Sato

   Pages 37-62

4. Critical Examination of the Japanese Government Survey

   • Mai Sato

   Pages 63-76

5. Methodology

   • Mai Sato

   Pages 77-103

6. The Preliminary Survey

   • Mai Sato

   Pages 105-125

7. The Experimental Survey

   • Mai Sato

   Pages 127-156

8. The Deliberative Consultation

   • Mai Sato

   Pages 157-180

9. Conclusion

   • Mai Sato

   Pages 181-194

10. Back Matter

    Pages 195-255

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This book examines public attitudes to the death penalty in Japan, focusing on knowledge and trust-based attitudinal factors relating to support for, and opposition to, the death penalty. A mixed-method approach was used. Quantitative and qualitative surveys were mounted to assess Japanese death penalty attitudes. The main findings show that death penalty attitudes are not fixed but fluid. Information has a significant impact on reducing support for the death penalty while retributive attitudes are associated with support. This book offers a new conceptual framework in understanding the death penalty without replying on the usual human rights approach, which can be widely applied not just to Japan but to other retentionist countries.

• Death penalty
• Human rights
• Public opinion
• Survey methods
• Tolerance

From the book reviews:

“The objective of this book is to challenge, using empirical research, the Japanese government’s argument that it cannot abolish the death penalty because the vast majority of Japanese people are support it. … the book is essential reading for all those with an interest in issues surrounding the death penalty and surveys of public opinion. It is sure to cause a major stir in debate over the death penalty in Japan.” (Koichi Hamai, Social Science Japan Journal, Vol. 18 (1), January, 2015)

• London, United Kingdom

  Mai Sato

Mai Sato completed her PhD at King’s College London in 2011. She is currently a Research Fellow at the Institute for Criminal Policy Research, Birkbeck, University of London, and a Research Officer at the Centre for Criminology, University of Oxford.

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