A woman sentenced to death for murdering two men in 2009 choked on food and died, Japan’s justice ministry announced Sunday, DPA and Agerpres reported.

Prison in Tokyo, JapanPhoto: Shuji Kajiyama/AP/Profimedia

A 49-year-old woman was convicted of murdering two men in 2009. The verdict entered into force in 2017. Since then, she has been awaiting execution by hanging.

In Japan, death row inmates are not told the date of execution. When finally the decision comes from the Ministry of Justice to enforce the decision, most have only a few hours to live.

Japan is one of the few industrialized countries that still uses the death penalty. Human rights activists and the EU have condemned Japan’s executions and prison conditions for years.

Currently, 105 people have been sentenced to death in Japan.