死刑刑場公開 まだ開示すべき情報は多い

The Yomiuri Shimbun (Aug. 29, 2010)
More death penalty info should be disclosed
死刑刑場公開　まだ開示すべき情報は多い（8月28日付・読売社説）

The execution chamber at the Tokyo Detention House was shown to the media for the first time Friday.
　死刑が執行される東京拘置所の刑場が報道機関に初めて公開された。

With the introduction of the lay judge system, ordinary citizens now have a chance of being called to participate in the process of sentencing someone to death. The Justice Ministry, which had been reluctant to disclose information related to executions, has likely realized the need to change its earlier stance.
　裁判員制度が始まり、国民が死刑判決にかかわる可能性がある時代になった。これまで情報公開に消極的だった法務省も、姿勢を転換する必要性を認めたのだろう。

The ministry should make further efforts to disclose information on the death penalty.
　今後も死刑に関する情報の開示に努めるべきだ。

Media organizations were allowed to film or photograph certain areas, such as the room in which hangings take place, and the button control room, where prison officers push buttons to activate the trapdoor.
　報道機関には撮影も許可され、密室の様子が初めて外部に知らされた。絞首刑が行われる執行室や刑務官が執行ボタンを押す部屋などが公開された。

Debate requires data

Justice Minister Keiko Chiba this month set up a study panel within the ministry to discuss the death penalty system. Chiba, who had been calling for the abolition of capital punishment, expressed her intention to start discussions on whether the system should be maintained and stressed the need for national debate on the issue.
　千葉法相は今月、死刑制度のあり方を議論する勉強会を省内に作った。もともと死刑廃止論者だった法相は、制度の存廃論議を始める方針も示し、国民的な議論の必要性を強調している。

But the public in fact has been given little information that would help people think about the death penalty.
　しかし、国民には死刑制度を考える材料が、ほとんど明らかにされていないのが現状だ。

An execution must be carried out within six months after a death sentence is finalized, according to the Criminal Procedure Code. But this rule has not been followed. Over the past decade, the period from the finalization of a sentence to actual execution stood at five years and 11 months on average. Some death row inmates have been detained for more than two decades since their sentences were finalized. What has caused this situation?
　刑事訴訟法で定められている、死刑確定から６か月以内の刑の執行は守られていない。過去１０年の執行までの期間は平均で５年１１か月だ。確定から２０年以上拘置されている死刑囚もいる。なぜこうした事態が生じるのか。

In 1998, the Justice Ministry began to publicly announce when it had carried out executions and how many inmates were executed on each occasion. In 2007, it also began disclosing the names of the inmates who were executed. But it has not provided information on how decisions are made about which inmates are to be executed.
　１９９８年以降、執行の事実と人数のみを公表していた法務省は、０７年から死刑囚の氏名も公表するようになった。だが、執行順の決定過程は説明していない。

It also is hard to know anything about how death row inmates live in their cells and whether they regret what they have done.
　死刑囚が独房でどのような生活を送り、反省しているかどうかを知ることも難しい。

The Penal Code stipulates that executions are to be carried out by hanging. But we wonder whether arguments on this point have ever been raised.
　執行方法は刑法で絞首と定められているが、これに対する議論は一度もなかったのだろうか。

In the United Sates, where the death penalty exists in 35 of the 50 states, members of the media and relatives of crime victims can be present to watch executions. They also can be briefed by authorities about developments before actual executions.
　７割の州に死刑制度がある米国では、被害者遺族やメディアが執行に立ち会える。当局から執行までの経緯の説明も受けられる。

We think the Justice Ministry should provide as much information as possible while giving consideration to the privacy of death row inmates and the wishes of victims.
　法務省は死刑囚のプライバシーに配慮しつつ、被害者側の意向も踏まえた上で、可能な限り説明を尽くすべきではないか。

Some in the ministry were cautious about releasing detailed information on the final moments death row inmates face, being concerned that discussions of how executions are carried out and how inmates are treated would eventually lead to arguments supporting the abolition of the death penalty.
　法務省の内部には、死刑囚の最後の局面に関する詳細な情報を公開すると、執行方法や処遇などを巡る議論が、いずれ死刑廃止論議に結びついてしまうという警戒感があった。

It is necessary for the ministry to provide the public with information about the actual situation regarding the death penalty and to allow discussions as to whether practical details of the death penalty system, including the execution method, should be reviewed.
　死刑の現状を国民に知らせ、執行方法や制度の運用に見直すべき点がないのかどうか、問題提起する姿勢も必要だろう。

Seek the best system

An opinion survey conducted by the Cabinet Office showed that more than 80 percent of respondents were in favor of the death penalty. Many victims' relatives demand capital punishment as a penalty matching the seriousness of the crimes committed.
　内閣府の世論調査では、死刑制度容認派が８割を超えている。罪に見合う処罰として極刑を求める被害者遺族は多い。

We do not advocate rushing discussions on whether the death penalty should be maintained or abolished. Rather, we hope that discussions are held from the viewpoint of improving the existing system's operation.
　「存続か廃止か」の議論を急ぐのではなく、現行制度の運用を改善する視点の議論が望まれる。

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Aug. 28, 2010)
（2010年8月28日01時13分 読売新聞）