Executions in Japan
A record of people executed in Japan. The source for each entry is the press conference the Minister of Justice holds on the day of an execution. The Ministry of Justice began releasing the names of executed prisoners in December 2007; this page covers every execution carried out since February 2013.
Executions in Japan are carried out by hanging, at the detention houses in Tokyo, Osaka, Nagoya, Hiroshima, Fukuoka, Sendai and Sapporo. The prisoner is told on the morning of the execution; there is no advance notice. Afterwards the Minister of Justice holds a press conference and releases the name, age and place of execution.
Where the age or place is blank, it could not be confirmed from the source. Nothing has been filled in by guesswork.
Where the age or place is blank, it could not be confirmed from the source. Nothing has been filled in by guesswork.
45 people — 21 execution dates — 2013-02-21 to 2026-08-21
Friday, 21 August 2026
1Sunao Takamiaged 58
Set fire to a pachinko parlour in Konohana Ward, Osaka, on 5 July 2009, killing five people and injuring ten|Hanging|Osaka Detention House
Sentenced to death by the Osaka District Court in 2011; finalised by the Supreme Court in February 2016. The first execution in Japan in one year and two months, and the first under the Takaichi cabinet.
Friday, 27 June 2025
1Takahiro Shiraishi
Killed nine men and women in an apartment in Zama, Kanagawa Prefecture, in 2017|Hanging
The first execution in Japan in two years and eleven months.
Tuesday, 26 July 2022
1Tomohiro Kato
Drove a truck into a pedestrian precinct in Akihabara, Tokyo, on 8 June 2008, killing seven people and injuring ten|Hanging
The Akihabara massacre.
Tuesday, 21 December 2021
3Mitsunori Onogawaaged 44
Killed two people, including a pachinko parlour manager, in Gunma Prefecture in 2003|Hanging|Tokyo Detention House
Yasutaka Fujishiroaged 65
Killed seven relatives in Kakogawa, Hyogo Prefecture, in August 2004|Hanging|Osaka Detention House
Tomoaki Takanezawaaged 54
Killed two people, including a pachinko parlour manager, in Gunma Prefecture in 2003|Hanging|Tokyo Detention House
Thursday, 26 December 2019
1Wei Wei
Killed a family of four in Fukuoka in June 2003|Hanging|Fukuoka Detention House
Chinese national.
Friday, 2 August 2019
2Koichi Shojiaged 64
Killed two women in Yamato, Kanagawa Prefecture, in 2001|Hanging|Tokyo Detention House
He was executed while a request for a retrial was pending.
Yasunori Suzukiaged 50
Killed three women in Fukuoka in 2004|Hanging|Fukuoka Detention House
Thursday, 27 December 2018
2Keizo Okamoto
Killed the president of an investment advisory firm and one other person in Osaka in January 1988, robbed them of cash, and disposed of the bodies encased in concrete|Hanging
Hiroya Suemori
Killed the president of an investment advisory firm and one other person in Osaka in January 1988, robbed them of cash, and disposed of the bodies encased in concrete|Hanging
Thursday, 26 July 2018
6Kazuaki Okazaki
Murder and related offences in the Aum Shinrikyo case, including the 1994 Matsumoto sarin attack and the 1995 Tokyo subway sarin attack|Hanging
Kenichi Hirose
Murder and related offences in the Aum Shinrikyo case, including the 1994 Matsumoto sarin attack and the 1995 Tokyo subway sarin attack|Hanging
Over these two days, all thirteen people under sentence of death for the Aum Shinrikyo case were executed.
Yasuo Hayashi
Murder and related offences in the Aum Shinrikyo case, including the 1994 Matsumoto sarin attack and the 1995 Tokyo subway sarin attack|Hanging
Masato Yokoyama
Murder and related offences in the Aum Shinrikyo case, including the 1994 Matsumoto sarin attack and the 1995 Tokyo subway sarin attack|Hanging
Satoru Hashimoto
Murder and related offences in the Aum Shinrikyo case, including the 1994 Matsumoto sarin attack and the 1995 Tokyo subway sarin attack|Hanging
Toru Toyoda
Murder and related offences in the Aum Shinrikyo case, including the 1994 Matsumoto sarin attack and the 1995 Tokyo subway sarin attack|Hanging
Friday, 6 July 2018
7Tomomasa Nakagawa
Murder and related offences in the Aum Shinrikyo case, including the 1994 Matsumoto sarin attack and the 1995 Tokyo subway sarin attack|Hanging
Yoshihiro Inoue
Murder and related offences in the Aum Shinrikyo case, including the 1994 Matsumoto sarin attack and the 1995 Tokyo subway sarin attack|Hanging
Masami Tsuchiya
Murder and related offences in the Aum Shinrikyo case, including the 1994 Matsumoto sarin attack and the 1995 Tokyo subway sarin attack|Hanging
Tomomitsu Niimi
Murder and related offences in the Aum Shinrikyo case, including the 1994 Matsumoto sarin attack and the 1995 Tokyo subway sarin attack|Hanging
Kiyohide Hayakawa
Murder and related offences in the Aum Shinrikyo case, including the 1994 Matsumoto sarin attack and the 1995 Tokyo subway sarin attack|Hanging
Chizuo Matsumoto
Murder and related offences in the Aum Shinrikyo case, including the 1994 Matsumoto sarin attack and the 1995 Tokyo subway sarin attack|Hanging
Former leader of the cult, who went by the name Shoko Asahara.
Seiichi Endo
Murder and related offences in the Aum Shinrikyo case, including the 1994 Matsumoto sarin attack and the 1995 Tokyo subway sarin attack|Hanging
Tuesday, 19 December 2017
2Kiyoshi Matsui
Killed a parent and two children — three people in all — in Annaka, Gunma Prefecture, in June 2010|Hanging|Tokyo Detention House
Teruhiko Seki
Killed a family of four in Ichikawa, Chiba Prefecture, in March 1992|Hanging|Tokyo Detention House
He was 19 at the time of the crime — one of the few cases in Japan where a person has been executed for an offence committed as a minor.
Thursday, 13 July 2017
2Koichi Sumidaaged 34
Killed a former female colleague in Okayama in September 2011 and mutilated the body|Hanging|Hiroshima Detention House
Masakatsu Nishikawaaged 61
Killed four people, including bar proprietors, in the Kinki region between 1991 and 1992|Hanging|Osaka Detention House
Friday, 11 November 2016
1Kenichi Tajiri
Broke into homes in Kumamoto Prefecture in 2004 and 2011 to steal money and valuables, killing two women and seriously injuring one man|Hanging
Friday, 25 March 2016
2Junko Yoshida
Murder and related offences|Hanging
At the press conference the Minister of Justice described the case only as “extremely cruel” and did not disclose details.
Yasutoshi Kamata
Murder and related offences|Hanging
At the press conference the Minister of Justice described the case only as “extremely cruel” and did not disclose details.
Friday, 18 December 2015
2Sumitoshi Tsuda
Stabbed to death three residents of an apartment building in Kawasaki in 2009|Hanging
Kazuyuki Wakabayashi
Broke into a house in Hirono, Iwate Prefecture, in 2009, killed two women who returned home, and robbed them|Hanging
Thursday, 25 June 2015
1Tsukasa Kanda
Confined a woman on her way home in a car in Nagoya in August 2007, robbed her, suffocated her and dumped the body|Hanging
Friday, 29 August 2014
2Mitsuhiro Kobayashiaged 56
Set fire to a consumer finance branch in Hirosaki, Aomori Prefecture, in May 2001, killing five employees and injuring four|Hanging|Sendai Detention Branch
Tsutomu Takamizawaaged 59
As a crime syndicate boss, conspired with subordinates to shoot dead three people on separate occasions, disposing of the bodies in two of the cases|Hanging|Tokyo Detention House
Thursday, 26 June 2014
1Masanori Kawasakiaged 68
Stabbed to death his sister-in-law and her two grandchildren — three people in all — in Sakaide, Kagawa Prefecture, in 2007, and disposed of the bodies|Hanging|Osaka Detention House
Thursday, 12 December 2013
2Ryoji Kagayamaaged 63
Stabbed two people to death with a knife to steal money and valuables and attempted to kill a third (robbery-murder and attempted robbery-murder)|Hanging|Osaka Detention House
Mitsuo Fujishimaaged 55
Killed two people, including an aunt of his former wife, to silence them for fear of arrest, and disposed of the bodies|Hanging|Tokyo Detention House
Thursday, 12 September 2013
1Tokuhisa Kumagaiaged 73
Shot one person dead with a handgun to steal cash and attempted to kill another (robbery-murder and attempted robbery-murder)|Hanging|Tokyo Detention House
Friday, 26 April 2013
2Yoshihide Miyagiaged 56
Conspired with accomplices to shoot dead two people with handguns inside and in front of a family restaurant|Hanging|Tokyo Detention House
Katsuji Hamasakiaged 64
Conspired with accomplices to shoot dead two people with handguns inside and in front of a family restaurant|Hanging|Tokyo Detention House
Thursday, 21 February 2013
3Keiki Kanoaged 62
Killed a bar proprietor in Sakae, Naka Ward, Nagoya|Hanging|Nagoya Detention House
Kaoru Kobayashiaged 44
Abducted and killed a first-grade schoolgirl in Nara in November 2004|Hanging|Osaka Detention House
Masahiro Kanagawaaged 29
Attacked eight people in Tsuchiura, Ibaraki Prefecture, in March 2008, killing one of them|Hanging|Tokyo Detention House