When you think of the death penalty in Japan, do you think of such a scene first? Yes, in ancient Japan, beheading was the most common method of execution, but the punishment of beheading was abolished as early as 1870 during the Meiji Restoration and replaced by hanging. From then until today, hanging has become the only method of execution in Japan.
The initial hanging was to first build a hanging column, put a noose around the prisoner's neck, and hang a 20-fold (75 kg) weight at the other end, relying on the suddenly sagging gravity to hang the prisoner. The picture shows the structure of the hanging column in the Meiji period.
However, this method of hanging prisoners is not crisp and clean enough, and there is even a joke of "hanging without death". At that time, there was a famous resurrection of death row prisoners in Ishita Prefecture (present-day Ehime Prefecture) in Japan: three prisoners who were "hanged" actually survived. This forced the Japanese government to start changing the new type of torture equipment. The picture shows the relics of the hanging column in Japan at that time.
In 1873, the Japanese government announced the use of "hanging equipment" originating in the West to execute prisoners, as shown in the picture, the prisoners were taken to a high platform to put on a noose, the pedal under the foot was suddenly released, and the prisoner was hanged in the air. This kind of "long-distance fall" hanging is implemented in many countries and is an efficient instrument of torture that can quickly kill. Later, Japan moved the execution ground from outdoor to indoor, but the general structure remained unchanged.
After the surrender of Japan in World War II, Japanese Class-A war criminals such as Hideki Tojo, who are familiar to us, were hanged indoors.
Not long ago, Japan unveiled the execution site for executions in detention centers. The picture shows the teaching room where prisoners write their wills and finally rest (eat and drink tea).
This is the front room where the prisoner was told he was about to be executed, and it contains a Buddha statue.
Prisoners were blindfolded and taken to the final execution chamber, where they were put on a noose.
In the center of the execution room, there is a 1-meter square movable pedal, the prisoner stands in it, the executioner presses the button, the trap plate is released, and the prisoner falls into mid-air and hangs. The last time Brother Feng saw a domestic variety show, the challenge loser is also the host button pressed a trappad to fall, it was really frightened.
Ordinary prisoners will be unconscious and die within a few seconds, and the Japanese believe that this is the most benevolent and rapid way to kill, but there will also be mistakes, and some prisoners will struggle for a long time, and even separate their heads.
The most noteworthy thing is a detail. The one on the left is the execution room, separated from the pedals by a wall, have you noticed: there are three buttons on the wall, which are pressed by three people at the same time when executing, but only one is effective - which one works, no one knows. Why so much?
Speaking of which, Japan's execution of the death penalty is probably the most cautious and procrastinating country in the world, and the law stipulates that after the death penalty is sentenced, the prisoner has a long appeal period, and generally can live at least a few more years, or even more than ten years, decades. This is Japan's death penalty execution table in recent years, and it is not difficult to see that in some years, there is not even a single case of execution.
An important reason: The Japanese are very taboo about executions, believing that they are "unclean and filthy." In ancient Japan, such as the death penalty in the Edo period, it was used by a special family or a lowly "untouchable" to act as an executioner, and this taboo against "executioners" has continued for hundreds of years. The Minister of Justice, who has the power to kill people, does not want to sign "as an executioner", and the executioners are also unwilling to be the one who presses the "death button", so three very strange buttons in the Japanese execution ground were born, the purpose of which is to reduce the psychological burden of the executors and can comfort themselves: it is not the button I pressed to kill.
On the one hand, when it is cruel and ruthless to kill people, on the other hand, when it is calm, it pays great attention to "humanity and benevolence", and Japan is really the most contradictory nation in the world. (Text/Kuaizai Wind, shall not be reproduced)