Japan opening up about capital punishment

The justice minister decided she would show reporters THESE ROOMS after witnessing a couple of hangings herself recently.

The capital punishment process in Japan used to be ultra-secretive to the point of creepiness. I remember being shocked by an article ten or so years ago explaining how it worked. The condemned prisoners would more or less disappear while appeals were underway. And then one day, the family of the condemned would receive a letter saying: “This is to inform you that your son was executed approximately two years ago.” I think getting rid of that sort of nightmarish procedure would be an excellent first step, and it seems like Keiko Chiba is aiming at a much broader reform or possibly outright abolition.