The Osaka District Court dismissed a request from three death-row inmates to ban executions by hanging, ruling that such a challenge is inappropriate through administrative litigation. The inmates argued that hanging violates an international treaty prohibiting cruel punishments. Presiding Judge Noriko Yokota stated that criminal judgments in Japan presuppose hanging as the method of execution.
On January 16, 2026, the Osaka District Court dismissed a request by three inmates whose death sentences have been finalized to prohibit the state from carrying out executions by hanging. The plaintiffs invoked Japan's ratification of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which bans inhumane and cruel punishments, arguing that hanging is "cruel and should not be allowed to continue."
Presiding Judge Noriko Yokota rejected the claim, stating that contesting the method of execution via administrative litigation is inappropriate. She noted that criminal judgments in Japan presuppose executions by hanging, and granting a ban would contradict finalized criminal decisions. Additionally, the judge found no basis to deviate from a 1955 Supreme Court ruling that did not recognize hanging as cruel.
In a press conference on the same day, the plaintiffs' attorney criticized the ruling, calling it "the worst possible judgment" for failing to address the core issue. Hanging has been Japan's standard method of execution for decades, despite criticism from international human rights groups. This decision may intensify debates over the death penalty's implementation in the country.
