Japan on Friday carried out its first execution since 2022, hanging Takahiro Shiraishi, infamously known as the “Twitter Killer.” Shiraishi, 34, was convicted of murdering and dismembering nine people he met through social media in 2017.
Lured Victims via Twitter
Shiraishi targeted individuals—primarily women—who expressed suicidal thoughts online. Posing as someone who could help them or die alongside them, he used the platform now known as X to lure his victims to his Tokyo-area apartment.
Gruesome Crimes
Justice Minister Keisuke Suzuki confirmed Shiraishi’s crimes included murder, rape, robbery and corpse mutilation and disposal.
“The victims were beaten, strangled, robbed, and their bodies dismembered,” Suzuki stated. Parts were hidden in coolers and toolboxes, often covered with cat litter to mask the smell. The youngest victim was 15; the oldest, 26.
Shiraishi was sentenced to death in 2020. His legal team argued that the victims had consented due to their suicidal ideation, but the court rejected this, describing his actions as “cunning and cruel.”
Public Outrage and Legal Context
The killings shocked Japan and drew widespread condemnation. A judge emphasized that Shiraishi “preyed on the mentally vulnerable” and “trampled on the dignity of his victims.”
Japan remains one of only two G7 nations, alongside the U.S., that retains the death penalty. Public support for capital punishment remains high.
According to Japan’s justice ministry 1 execution occurred in 2022, 3 in 2021 and 15 in 2018.
Approximately 100 inmates currently await execution, many seeking retrials.
Background
The case unraveled when the brother of a missing 23-year-old woman gained access to her Twitter account and traced her online activity to Shiraishi. Police discovered body parts in his home during the investigation.
Notable Executions
Japan has previously executed high-profile criminals, including Tomohiro Kato (2022): Responsible for a 2008 Tokyo stabbing spree Shoko Asahara & 12 Aum Shinrikyo cult members (2018): Carried out the 1995 Tokyo subway sarin gas attack.
