Japan executes death row inmate in first capital punishment case under Prime Minister Takaichi

On the morning of Friday, August 21, 2026, Japanese authorities carried out a death sentence by hanging. Sunao Takami was executed for the 2009 arson of a pachinko parlor in Osaka, an act that resulted in the deaths of five people—four customers and one employee. This marks the first execution in Japan since the administration of Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi assumed power in October 2025.

Takami, who lived near the facility, intentionally used flammable liquid to ignite the gaming hall. While the Japanese Ministry of Justice has declined to officially comment on the event, local media reports confirm the execution. This incident follows the previous high-profile execution of Takahiro Shiraishi, known as the "Twitter killer," which took place in June 2025. Japan remains one of the two G7 nations, alongside the United States, that continues to maintain and implement capital punishment, despite persistent international criticism regarding the secrecy and conditions surrounding the execution process.