“This superb book, by an eminent scholar of criminal justice, provides many original insights about capital punishment in Japan. I welcome its publication, and I hope it moves Japan closer to abolition by informing readers in the rest of the world about the problems that afflict the death penalty in my country, and about the impossibility of administering capital punishment in a manner that is fair, just, and accurate.” (Koichi Kikuta, Professor Emeritus, Meiji University, Japan)
“There is a saying in the board game of Go that “on-lookers see more than players.” In this insightful book, David Johnson analyzes Japanese capital punishment from a variety of external perspectives. He also identifies obstacles to abolition, and he illuminates a path forward as well.” (Sadato Goto, Attorney at Law, Osaka, Japan)
“David Johnson brings two rare capacities to this masterful essay – a deep and sympathetic knowledge of the law and culture of the Japanese criminal process, and an expert's understanding that civilizing state killing as a legal punishment is an impossibility in Japan or any other nation.” (Franklin E. Zimring, Simon Professor of Law, University of California at Berkeley, US)
“This brilliant book sheds light on many mysteries concerning Japan’s machinery of death. It is the most interesting and provocative work on the subject. By combining empirical and sociological analysis, it shows how Japan’s death penalty is peculiar in its own way, and it reveals troubling truths about Japanese criminal justice more generally.” (Kana Sasakura, Professor of Law, Konan University, Japan)
“Japan's death penalty is shrouded in secrecy because the Japanese government refuses to disclose many details about it. But this book describes many of the problems that plague Japanese capital punishment, including the reality of barbarous hangings. It should be read widely in the United States and around the world.” (Forum 90, an NGO promoting the ratification of the Second Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights)