日本27日时隔3年首度执行死刑，2017年犯下连环杀人案的白石隆浩正式伏法，而日本的死刑制度也再度引发讨论。《每日邮报》也揭露了日本独特的死刑执行方式与拘置所内部绞刑室的细节，其中前往行刑室的途中，会经过一尊小型的金色观音神像，也多了一层宗教色彩。
Japan carried out its first execution since2022 in the “Twitter Killer” #Takahiro_Shiraishi case.
On Friday, Japan executed a man who killed nine people aftercontacting them through social media, marking the country’s firstapplication of the death penalty in nearly three… pic.twitter.com/3Pf6HZEyD8
— ️ World News ️ (@ferozwala) June 27, 2025
白石隆浩伏法的东京拘置所位于东京葛饰区，以其高耸肃杀的建筑风格和灰暗外墙闻名。而日本的死刑方式是采取「绞首刑」，且在行刑当日才会告知囚犯，并直接将其带往行刑室。
《每日邮报》指出，死囚伏法当天上午被告知即将行刑后，就会被铐上脚镣，并由狱警押送至行刑室，然而途中会经过一尊小型的金色观音像。进入行刑室后，受刑人会被蒙上眼睛，双手绑在背后，并站在可活动的踏板上。
There’s nothing evil about our deathpenalty.
The death penalty is only reserved for the harshest of crimes suchas 2008’s Akihabara massacre, 1995’s Tokyo subway sarin attack &2019’s Kyoto Animation arson attack.
Over 80% of the Japanese public support the death penalty. pic.twitter.com/SGccJd3nB6
— Colonel Otaku Gatekeeper (@politicalawake) July 13, 2024
执行人员会将绞索套在死囚的脖子，随后由多名刑务官同时按下按钮，踏板就会打开，犯人便坠落并悬吊在空中，距地面约2公尺，在重力拉扯下，绞绳会瞬间折断颈椎使死囚死亡。5分钟后由工作人员确认其断气，才会将遗体取下。
报导指出，行刑室的一侧设有观刑区，受害者家属与相关官员可在此目睹整个执行过程。
EXECUTION: In Japan, executions are carriedout with deliberate secrecy and ritual. Death row inmates are nottold their execution date in advance, they learn only momentsbefore. The method is hanging, with a trapdoor triggered when threeprison officers press buttons… pic.twitter.com/zMGIGs0f4A
— @amuse (@amuse) April 15, 2025
事实上，日本原先也如美国等其他国家一样，会提前数日告知死刑犯将被处决，死囚还能依照期望吃完最后的晚餐，也可以依个人信仰完成最后的送别仪式。不过，后来发生了死刑犯得知死期将至，用剃刀割破左手动脉自杀的事件，当局便不再提前通知。
In Japan, the death penalty is carried outby hanging. The prisoner is only notified about an hour before, andfamily only find out after.
So Rika Matsumoto knew that any day, her father, cult leader ShokoAsahara, could be gone. We were there the day before.
(via @HBO) pic.twitter.com/aWQ3QJY56Z
— VICE News (@VICENews) July 23, 2018
