Lawyer for two prisoners criticises ‘inhumane’ practice of giving only a few hours’ warning of hanging

Two death row inmates in Japan are suing the government, claiming that the practice of not informing inmates of the time of their execution until only hours before they are hanged is “inhumane”.

In what is believed to be the first legal challenge of its kind, the prisoners have demanded changes to the procedure and ¥22m (£143,000) in compensation, in a suit filed with a district court in Osaka.