[Mr Ramsbotham]

Their date with the hangman could come any day now.

And they won't know when it's going to happen until a few hours beforehand. If I'm not mistaken, the Japanese think that's less cruel than scheduling it for a known time.

[Vigilanteman]

I'm not sure if it is that or if they just don't care to have the lefties coming down to the jailhouse to protest, hold candlelight vigils and all that nonsense as if murderers are somehow heroes.

Support for capital punishment is somewhere between 70% and 80% in Japan, but they do have their lefty lunatic fringe as well.

The announcement is usually a day or so after the fact pretty much simultaneously to when the next of kin are contacted to come down to the hoosegow and collect their personal effects and (if so arranged) their cremated remains.