GENEVA — The U.N. Human Rights Committee has released a report recommending that Japan should favorably consider abolishing the death penalty and improve treatment of death-row inmates.

There has been a move toward the abolishment of the death penalty in the international community, with countries that have abolished it making up the majority. Criticism of countries that maintain the death penalty is also rising.

A screening of Japan was carried out for the first time in 10 years on Oct. 15 and 16, based on a U.N. human rights agreement, and the committee released its concluding observations on Thursday. The recommendation has no legally binding power.

In the report, the committee cited as problems the facts that the number of executions had steadily increased in Japan and that death-row inmates are executed without prior notice before the day of execution. It said Japan should “ensure that inmates on death row and their families are given reasonable advance notice of the scheduled date and time of the execution.”

An investigation by the United Nations has found that there are 141 countries and regions that have abolished the death penalty by law or in practice. Fifty-six countries continue to carry it out, and among G8 countries, only Japan and the United States maintain the death penalty.

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