３人死刑執行 凶悪犯罪の抑止につなげたい

The Yomiuri Shimbun (Feb. 23, 2013)
Execution of death-row inmates must serve as deterrent to crime
３人死刑執行　凶悪犯罪の抑止につなげたい（2月22日付・読売社説）

Three death-row inmates were executed Thursday. They were the first executions carried out under Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's administration, which was launched in December.
　３人の死刑囚に対する刑が２１日、執行された。昨年１２月に発足した安倍政権の下で、初めての執行である。

Justice Minister Sadakazu Tanigaki, who ordered the executions just two months after he was appointed to his post, told a press conference after the executions, "The spirit of the law shouldn't be disregarded." His statement shows he attaches grave importance to the Criminal Procedure Code, which stipulates that death sentences should be implemented within six months of being finalized.
　就任２か月で執行を命じた谷垣法相は、執行後の記者会見で「法の精神を無視するわけにはいかない」と述べた。死刑確定から６か月以内に刑を執行しなければならないと定めた刑事訴訟法を重視した発言だ。

The statement also indicates his stance to carry out in a somber manner the duties of the justice minister, who bears a heavy responsibility.
　法相に課せられた重い職責を、粛々と遂行していく姿勢を示したと言える。

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134 people now on death row

Under the Democratic Party of Japan-led administrations, few executions were carried out. There was even a period of about 20 months in which there were no executions, due to the successive appointments of justice ministers who were critical of the death penalty. As a result, the number of inmates whose death sentences had been finalized increased to 137, including the three most recently executed, the largest figure in the postwar period.
　民主党政権では、死刑の執行が少なく、約１年８か月にわたり途絶えた時期もあった。死刑制度に批判的な法相の就任が続いたためだ。その結果、確定死刑囚は今回の執行前で、戦後最多の１３７人に上っていた。

Internationally, countries that have abolished or suspended capital punishment outnumber those who maintain the system.
　死刑制度については、国際的には維持する国より、廃止か停止した国の方が多い。

In Japan, on the other hand, 85 percent of the public approves of the death penalty, according to an opinion poll by the Cabinet Office.
　一方、日本では、内閣府の世論調査で死刑容認が８５％を占めている。

"At the moment it's unnecessary to review the system," Tanigaki said, taking into consideration this public sentiment.
谷垣法相が「制度を現時点で見直す必要はない」と語ったのも国民感情を踏まえたものだ。

Death sentences have been given in lay judge trials, in which ordinary citizens participate in the trial process, and the sentences for three inmates under that system have been already finalized.
　国民が参加する裁判員裁判で死刑判決が出されるようになり、既に３人の死刑が確定している。

Considering these circumstances, we urge justice ministers to implement the death penalty system in a strict manner, after closely examining finalized death sentences.
そんな現状も考慮すれば、確定判決を精査した上で、厳正に制度を運用していくことが求められる。

The three inmates whose sentences were carried out most recently include a man who kidnapped and killed a young girl in Nara Prefecture in 2004, and a man who killed or injured nine people near JR Arakawaoki Station on the Joban Line and at another location, both in Ibaraki Prefecture, in 2008.
　今回、刑が執行されたのは、２００４年に奈良県で女児を誘拐し殺害した男や、０８年に茨城県のＪＲ常磐線荒川沖駅などで９人を殺傷した男らだ。

All three cases were contemptible, cruel crimes that horrified society. The victims and their bereaved family members suffered grievous harm. The bereaved families want the culprits to be harshly punished.
　いずれも、社会を震撼(しんかん)させた、卑劣かつ残虐な犯罪だ。被害者・遺族が受けた傷は大きく、処罰感情も厳しいものがある。

In the case of kidnapping and murder in Nara Prefecture, the perpetrator abducted a first-grade primary school student who was on her way home from school in order to sexually molest her. He even sent an e-mail with a picture of the girl's dead body to her mother's cellphone. The case was extremely malicious.
　奈良の誘拐殺人事件では、帰宅途中の小学１年の女児をわいせつ目的で連れ去り、遺体の写真を女児の母親にメール送信するなど、悪質性が際立っていた。

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Prevention of repeat offenses

This is the case that clarified the trend toward toughening the penalties in murder cases so that people who commit atrocious sexual crimes will face capital punishment even if they have only killed one person.
　殺害した被害者が１人であっても、凶悪な性犯罪では極刑を免れないという厳罰化の流れが明確に示されたケースだろう。

The Nara Prefecture case spurred the government to study measures to prevent the recurrence of sexual offenses, as the perpetrator had a criminal record of sex offenses.
　奈良の事件は、死刑囚に性犯罪歴があったことから、再犯対策の検討を迫る契機となった。

The Justice Ministry now provides the National Police Agency with information on where people with criminal records of sexual offenses involving children live after their release from prison. Sex offenders in prison are required to attend programs to prevent repeat offenses, in which they are taught ways to control their emotions.
　法務省は、子供に対する性犯罪の前歴者について、出所後の居住地情報を警察庁に提供するようになった。刑務所では性犯罪者に再犯防止プログラムを受講させ、感情をコントロールする方法を身に着けさせている。

However, there is no sign of a significant decline in the number of sex offenses. We should think again about the fact that one purpose of implementing death sentences is to deter atrocious crimes.
　しかし、性犯罪の被害は後を絶たない。死刑執行は、凶悪犯罪の抑止が目的の一つであることを改めて考えたい。

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Feb. 22, 2013)
（2013年2月22日01時14分  読売新聞）