Tribune: Japan's doomsday cult leader and several followers executed for roles in 1995 Tokyo subway sarin gas attack: reports

To be honest I vaguely remember this nerve gas attack in Japan and since this is over 20 years ago I can't say that I continued to follow this blatant form of terrorism in the land of the rising sun. That said had little idea the Japanese still had capital punishment. I suppose I was under the impression that executions were increasing becoming a no-no around the world not quite yet in Japan.

Anyway what happened?

Doomsday cult leader Shoko Asahara and several followers were executed Friday for their roles in a deadly 1995 gas attack on the Tokyo subways and other crimes, Japanese media reported.

The top Japanese government spokesman confirmed Asahara's execution but wouldn't comment on the others. Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said only that the Justice Ministry would make an announcement later Friday.

Japanese public broadcaster NHK reported that six followers were also hanged, citing unidentified sources. In all, 12 followers had been on death row with Asahara for the crimes, which killed 27 people. Asahara was 63 years old.

The 1995 subway attack was the most audacious. Members of the his Aum Shinrikyo cult punctured plastic bags to release sarin nerve gas inside train cars, killing 13 people and sickening more than 6,000.

Here in the states for the most part we think it's more "humane" to execute a person with lethal injection. Although let me be honest here, I put "humane" in quotes because the execution of a person - especially for crimes that a jury of their peers deemed them guilty of  - is never a pleasant subject. Nor should it be pleasant the crime their committed likely is heinous but then we're talking about executing someone and that shouldn't be pleasant either.