Japan: Strong support for death penalty due to biased polls, say experts

Government opinion polls on the death penalty consistently show overwhelming public support for the process, which is by hanging.

Now, the neutrality of questions that have produced an 85.6 % support rate is being called into question.

The government has carried out 9 opinion polls on the death penalty since 1956.

Since 1994, respondents have been asked to choose from 3 options: death penalty should be abolished under all circumstances; death penalty cannot be helped depending on circumstances; and don't know/ difficult to say in general terms.

The last survey, held in 2009, found that 85.6 % of the respondents picked the option "cannot be helped."

Successive justice ministers and other figures in authority have cited the high support rate to argue that the bulk of the general public supports the death penalty.

On Nov. 27, a Japan Federation of Bar Associations committee to discuss abolition of the death penalty invited experts in opinion polls to give their views on the way the questions in the government poll are phrased.

Fumiyasu Yamada, a professor of socio-informatics at Shizuoka University, said the questions are slanted.

"'Under all circumstances' sounds assertive, whereas 'depending on circumstances' sounds softer," Yamada explained. "The question helps to bloat the approval rating for the death penalty, and so it is not appropriate."

Kazuo Takamine, president of a consulting company that carries out opinion polls, agreed.

"The question is very biased," Takamine said. "The 85.6 % figure includes those who believe more discussions are necessary."

The Justice Ministry maintains the phrasing of the questions does not lead to biased replies.

Question and optional answers in government opinion polls on the death penalty

(5 surveys between 1956 and 1989)

Question: Do you agree or disagree with the opinion that the death penalty should be abolished under all circumstances in present-day Japan?

Answer:

1) Agree

2) Disagree

3) Don't know

(4 surveys between 1994 and 2009)

Question: Which of the following opinions on the death penalty do you agree with?

Answer:

1) Death penalty should be abolished under all circumstances

2) Death penalty cannot be helped depending on circumstances

3) Don't know/ Difficult to say in general terms

Source: The Asahi Shimbun, November 28, 2012

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