death penalty; capital punishment
Formal legal term for the death penalty; synonymous with 死刑 (しけい), which is more common in everyday and legal contexts.
See also: 死刑
Opinions on the abolition or retention of the death penalty differ from country to country.
Compound of 生命 (せいめい, 'life') and 刑 (けい, 'punishment'). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the term is a straightforward kanji compound meaning 'life punishment'.