日本27日時隔3年首度執行死刑，2017年犯下連環殺人案的白石隆浩正式伏法，而日本的死刑製度也再度引發討論。《每日郵報》也揭露了日本獨特的死刑執行方式與拘置所內部絞刑室的細節，其中前往行刑室的途中，會經過一尊小型的金色觀音神像，也多了一層宗教色彩。
Japan carried out its first execution since 2022 in the "Twitter Killer" #Takahiro_Shiraishi case.
— ️ World News ️ (@ferozwala) June 27, 2025
On Friday, Japan executed a man who killed nine people after contacting them through social media, marking the country's first application of the death penalty in nearly three… pic.twitter.com/3Pf6HZEyD8
白石隆浩伏法的東京拘置所位於東京葛飾區，以其高聳肅殺的建築風格和灰暗外牆聞名。而日本的死刑方式是采取「絞首刑」，且在行刑當日才會告知囚犯，並直接將其帶往行刑室。
《每日郵報》指出，死囚伏法當天上午被告知即將行刑後，就會被銬上腳鐐，並由獄警押送至行刑室，然而途中會經過一尊小型的金色觀音像。進入行刑室後，受刑人會被蒙上眼睛，雙手綁在背後，並站在可活動的踏板上。
執行人員會將絞索套在死囚的脖子，隨後由多名刑務官同時按下按鈕，踏板就會打開，犯人便墜落並懸吊在空中，距地麵約2公尺，在重力拉扯下，絞繩會瞬間折斷頸椎使死囚死亡。5分鍾後由工作人員確認其斷氣，才會將遺體取下。There's nothing evil about our death penalty.
— Colonel Otaku Gatekeeper (@politicalawake) July 13, 2024
The death penalty is only reserved for the harshest of crimes such as 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
報導指出，行刑室的一側設有觀刑區，受害者家屬與相關官員可在此目睹整個執行過程。
EXECUTION: In Japan, executions are carried out with deliberate secrecy and ritual. Death row inmates are not told their execution date in advance, they learn only moments before. The method is hanging, with a trapdoor triggered when three prison officers press buttons… pic.twitter.com/zMGIGs0f4A
— @amuse (@amuse) April 15, 2025
事實上，日本原先也如美國等其他國家一樣，會提前數日告知死刑犯將被處決，死囚還能依照期望吃完最後的晚餐，也可以依個人信仰完成最後的送別儀式。不過，後來發生了死刑犯得知死期將至，用剃刀割破左手動脈自殺的事件，當局便不再提前通知。
In Japan, the death penalty is carried out by hanging. The prisoner is only notified about an hour before, and family only find out after.
So Rika Matsumoto knew that any day, her father, cult leader Shoko Asahara, could be gone. We were there the day before.
(via @HBO) pic.twitter.com/aWQ3QJY56Z
— VICE News (@VICENews) July 23, 2018
