The Japanese Federation of Bar Associations has recommended changes to the law in death penalty cases, so that sentences must be unanimous. This recommendation comes in response to at least four wrongful convictions in death sentence cases postwar andwrongful convictions being reversed in recent

years. This interesting article however, does imply that unanimity among the judges will protect against wrongful convictions, which seems optimistic at best and hopelessly naive at worst. However, it may reduce the number of death sentences, which, while falling short of the ultimate goal: Japan’s abolition of the death penalty, will be some progress. Read more here:

Lay judge death sentences must be unanimous: JFBA