Some say they will squarely accept their fate, but others argue they shouldn't be executed because they did not get a fair trial. Some have deeply apologized for murders they committed, while others have expressed gratitude to family and supporters for their support.

The recently published book "Can You Hear the Voices from Prison?" by an advocacy group that opposes capital punishment, Forum 90, sheds some light on the lives and thoughts of death-row inmates, although it does not provide specific details, including their names and the crimes for which they were convicted.

"We believe it is necessary to inform the public about the realities surrounding the inmates now that ordinary citizens are serving as lay judges and are involved in sentencing people to hang," said Taku Fukada, a member of Forum 90 who helped collect material for the 198-page book.