Death Penalty in Japan...Wait, What?

So this isn't really current news, but since we talked about capital punishment today in class, I think this can apply.

Like everyone else, I believed the fact that the U.S. was one of few countries that still had the death penalty as a means of punishment in their judicial system. A few months ago, I came across this article: 
http://news.yahoo.com/japan-executes-first-prisoners-since-2010-134722700.html

My first reaction was WTF? Japan? Really? According to the article, Japan carries out executions by hanging (only two states still have hanging as an option), the condemned are kept in solitary confinement for years before their execution, and their families are informed of their deaths after the fact. 

Another surprise was the overwhelming support for the death penalty in Japan, which was 85%. Only 51% of death-penalty-happy Texans support their death penalty rules!

Of course, other countries aren't too supportive of Japan's death penalty, like they don't support ours. 

You learn something new every day. 

More links:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/japan/9448640/Japan-condemned-over-executions.html
http://www.japantimes.co.jp/text/nn20120609f1.html
http://www.texastribune.org/texas-dept-criminal-justice/death-penalty/uttt-poll-life-and-death/