Japan executes man convicted of killing five in pachinko fire
A man who killed five people by setting fire to a pachinko parlour in Osaka in 2009 has been hanged in Japan's first execution by Sanae Takaichi's government.
Sunao Takami, a 58-year-old man, was executed on Friday in Japan for the murder, attempted murder, and arson of five people in a pachinko parlor fire in 2009. The incident caused significant distress to the society, according to Justice Minister Hiroshi Hiraguchi, who ordered the execution after careful and thorough considerations.
Takami set fire to the crowded pachinko parlour by spreading gasoline and throwing a lit match, leading to the deaths of five people and injuries to 10 others. Japan currently has 100 people on death row, including 43 seeking retrials, despite growing criticism of the country's use of the death penalty from the international community.
Japan is one of only two G7 countries that still practice capital punishment. The Justice Ministry defended the hanging, stating it is not considered more cruel than other methods of execution.
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