Japan Executes Man Who Killed Five in Pachinko Parlour Fire

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Japan has executed 58 years old Sunao Takami, who was convicted of setting fire to a pachinko parlour in Osaka in 2009, killing five people and injuring 10 others.

Takami reportedly poured petrol into the busy parlour and set it on fire. The blaze killed four customers and one employee, while injuring ten more.

He was condemned to death in 2011 after being found guilty of murder, attempted murder, and arson. In 2016, the Japanese Supreme Court upheld his death sentence.

Takami was executed by hanging on Friday, marking Japan's first execution since June 2025 and the first under Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's administration.

According to Justice Minister Hiroshi Hiraguchi, the crime caused a severe loss of life as well as widespread terror and shock. He stated that the execution was decided after analysing the facts of the case and the impact on the victims and their families.

Despite human-rights groups' criticism, Japan continues to use capital punishment. The country's death sentence system has also been criticised because convicts are typically usually informed of their execution on the morning of the hanging.