Singapore executes disabled Malaysian convicted in drug case
NPR Online NewsDec 27, 2021
The Facts
Tomohiro Kato, who was convicted of stabbing seven people to death in a Tokyo attack in Jun. 2008, has been executed, according to Japanese media.
Justice Minister Yohihisa Furukawa stated the decision was finalized through "sufficient deliberation in court."
The Spin
Pro-establishment narrative
Despite international criticism over the use of capital punishment, this heinous attack was the worst seen in seven years in Japan and the Japanese public overwhelmingly supports the death penalty. The Japanese government should continue to maintain its right to employ the strongest form of deterrence possible.
Establishment-critical narrative
The death penalty is cruel and often involves prolonged sentences and day-to-day fears of execution as the actual execution date is often not revealed until that morning. Such mental torture doesn't allow the possibility of rehabilitation or mistakes to be reversed. There is a reason why Japan is in the global minority regarding capital punishment. This must change.
