I had no idea Japan had capital punishment, interesting system.
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/dec/12/japan-condemned-secret-executions
Prisoners, who spend years, even decades, on death row, typically are not told of their execution until hours before they are led to the gallows. Their lawyers and relatives are informed only after the execution has been carried out.
In a report published in 2008, Amnesty said inmates in Japan were being driven insane and exposed to "cruel, inhuman and degrading" punishment.