URGENT ALERT


Fax the Japanese Minister of Justice, Shimoinaba, to stop the impending executions on the 18th or 19th of this month.

Greetings to all who are concerned about the fate of people on death row.
The Japanese administration is very likely to carry out the death penalty on the 18th or 19th of this month.
The Japanese Ministry of Justice has been keeping everything regarding the death penalty enormously secret. They don't even make public the fact that the execution took place, give names of the executed inmates, or say how many people were executed.

This is a very rare case where the signs of preparation have come to our attention beforehand.
Recently, the Japanese authorities seem to adhere to a pattern of executions twice or three times a year with several inmates at the same time.

The last executions were on August 1 of this year, when four inmates were executed including a remarkable award-winning author, Norio Nagayama.

We need your help to stop the probable executions. Pressures from abroad will be effective.
Please send faxes and express your concern and remind the Minister for Justice, Shimoinaba, of the fact that the UN has frequently recommended that Japan ratify the "OPTIONAL PROTOCOL to the INTERNATIONAL COVENANT ON CIVIL AND POLITICAL RIGHTS" aimed at abolishment of the death penalty.

Express yourself in any language
Thank you in advance for your help.


fax to:
Japan (81) 3-3593-3009
Kokichi Shimoinaba
the Minister for Justice


fax to:
(81) 3-3592-7011
E-mail:webmaster@moj.go.jp
the Ministry for Justice


fax to:
(81) 3-5511-7207
the Criminal Bureau of the Ministry for Justice


The Criminal Bureau draws up the death warrant and the Minister signs for it to proceed the execution.