Under
Japanese law,
murder (殺人罪, satsujin-zai) is treated as one of the most serious criminal offences and is punished severely under the
Penal Code of Japan (刑法, Keihō).
Legal Basis:
The relevant statute is
Article 199 of the Penal Code, which states:
「人を殺した者は、死刑または無期もしくは五年以上の懲役に処する。」
"A person who kills another shall be punished with the death penalty, life imprisonment, or imprisonment for a term of not less than five years."
Explanation of Punishments:
1.
Death penalty (死刑, shikei)
Applied in particularly heinous or aggravated cases — such as multiple murders, extreme cruelty, or murder committed in the course of another serious crime (e.g., robbery, rape).
2.
Life imprisonment with or without parole (無期懲役, muki chōeki)
Often imposed in serious cases where death is not deemed appropriate. In theory, parole may be considered after
10 years, but in practice, parole is rare and typically occurs much later, if at all.
3.
Fixed-term imprisonment (懲役, chōeki)
For cases considered less aggravated, the sentence may range from
5 years to 20 years or more, depending on the circumstances, such as motive, remorse, and cooperation with authorities.