The top or most interesting stories from Japan for February 6
– A news magazine in Japan has named the 19-year old suspect in a murder case despite –legal adulthood being obtained at the age of 20– the suspect being a minor in the eyes of Japanese law.
– Tokyo’s Supreme Court (basically the national Supreme Court) has upheld High Court rulings that nullify two separate death sentences, with judges stressing such sentences need to be backed by “concrete evidence”. (The Japan Times, The Japan News)
This is a win for opponents of Japan’s death penalty, who are preparing for a “Death Penalty Movie Week” in Shibuya starting February 14. Organisers are hoping the films and talks on show will help start a debate on corporal punishment in Japan.
Just this week, the Tokyo Supreme Court upheld an imposed death sentence on a man who committed a murderous rampage in Toyko’s Akihabara in 2008.
– Japan is emptying the rural countryside to move to Tokyo, with data suggesting the capital has seen the 19th consecutive year of population growth.
Tokyo is the world’s most densely populated area and the Japanese government is hoping to reduce net population increase to zero in time for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. (The Japan Times, Wall Street Journal)
– The head of Japan’s public broadcaster, NHK, has expressed wariness to make a stance on coverage of comfort women as the Japanese government’s own stance “isn’t quite yet clear”.
The issue of Japan’s official stance on crimes committed by Imperial Japan during World War II is a hot political issue both domestically and abroad, especially with Korea and China, who were the biggest victims under Japan’s colonial past. No doubt it will be an issue raised at an upcoming March summit in Seoul between Japan, China and South Korea.
– On Friday, Japan’s Diet voted a resolution to condemn the execution of Kenji Goto and Haruna Yukawa by ISIS, clarifying Japan’s entrance into the global war on terror.
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has come under fire for the timing of his USD$200 million pledge to various countries in the Middle East despite knowing both Goto and Yukawa were already captives.
– Netflix is coming to Japan and will host Japanese content whilst working with local producers and studios on collaborations.
The wrap is back on Monday.
