The escalation of executions in Japan over the last few years "may be abating" now that a new administration is in power with a justice minister opposed to capital punishment, the human rights group Amnesty International said Tuesday.
In its annual report on the use of the death penalty worldwide, Amnesty notes that there have been no executions since the Democratic Party of Japan took office in September.
Prior to the change of government, seven inmates were hanged last year.
Justice Minister Keiko Chiba, an outspoken opponent of the death penalty, has not signed off on a single execution.
At the time of her appointment, Chiba called for public debate on capital punishment. But Makoto Teranaka, secretary general of Amnesty International Japan, said Chiba needs to show more leadership in bringing that about.
Chiba has yet to establish a study group or committee to discuss capital punishment or victim support, an idea she proposed in one of her first news conferences upon taking office last September.
"Chiba must make an effort to get more information regarding the death penalty out to the public" to encourage further debate, Teranaka said.
The government carries out executions in secret. It only reveals the inmates' names afterward. Other information, including details of the execution chamber, the hanging procedure and the inmates' physical condition, are withheld.
In a government opinion poll conducted in December, 85 percent of the respondents supported the death penalty.
Teranaka, however, said that if the details of such surveys are observed carefully, 29 percent of those who support capital punishment also say they support abolishing it in the future.
According to Amnesty's figures, 106 people were on death row in Japan at the end of 2009.
Meanwhile, the group challenged China to reveal how many people it executes and sentences to death each year.