Japan Executes Notorious Twitter Serial Killer After Nearly Three-Year Hiatus
Japan carried out its first execution in almost three years by hanging Takahiro Shiraishi, a 34-year-old convicted of murdering nine people he met on Twitter. The execution, authorised on June 27, marks a significant moment in Japan’s use of capital punishment, which had been dormant since 2022.
Shiraishi, infamously dubbed the “Twitter Killer” by local media, was sentenced to death for the brutal slayings committed in 2017. He lured eight women and one man, aged 15 to 26, by targeting individuals expressing suicidal thoughts on social media. Offering them assistance in ending their lives, Shiraishi then strangled and dismembered his victims in his cramped apartment in Zama City, Kanagawa Prefecture, near Tokyo.
Japan’s Justice Minister Keisuke Suzuki confirmed the execution, stating that the crimes were committed with “extremely selfish motives” that left society deeply shocked and fearful. He noted the decision to approve the execution was made after careful deliberation.
Victims Targeted Through Social Media and Dismembered
According to details reported by AFP and other outlets, Shiraishi meticulously dismembered the bodies of his victims and stored the remains in coolers within his apartment. Investigations revealed that he reached out to individuals who posted about suicidal ideation, manipulating their vulnerability to lure them into his deadly trap.
Shiraishi confessed in court to all nine murders, providing chilling details that shocked the nation. The case sparked a broader debate in Japan on social media safety and mental health support, as well as renewed scrutiny of the country’s capital punishment practices.
Japan’s death penalty system has been criticised by human rights groups for the psychological torment it inflicts on death row inmates, who are often only notified of their execution hours before it is carried out.
Execution Resumes Amid Ongoing Debate Over Death Penalty
This execution is the first since July 2022, when Japan executed another convict involved in the 2008 Akihabara stabbing rampage. Justice Minister Suzuki defended the decision, saying, “It is not appropriate to abolish the death penalty while brutal crimes like these continue to occur.”
Currently, 105 inmates remain on death row in Japan. Executions are conducted by hanging, a method that continues to draw international criticism for its lack of transparency and psychological impact on both inmates and their families.
The Shiraishi case has once again ignited discussions around Japan’s justice system, mental health support for vulnerable individuals, and the risks posed by social media platforms when misused by predators.