Japan Executes Notorious 'Twitter Killer' After Murdering Nine Victims

Sun Sep 14 2025 12:10:10 GMT+0300 (Eastern European Summer Time)

Japan takes a significant step in its justice system with the execution of Takahiro Shiraishi, known as the 'Twitter killer', who murdered nine individuals, primarily young women, lured through social media.

Takahiro Shiraishi’s heinous actions in 2017 have led to his execution, marking Japan's renewed use of capital punishment. Shiraishi, 30 at the time, targeted vulnerable victims, primarily young women aged 15 to 26, whom he connected with on the social media platform Twitter. He lured them to his Zama apartment under the pretense of wanting to assist them with their suicidal thoughts, only to carry out horrific murders by strangulation and dismemberment. The gruesome discovery of human remains in coolers at his residence shocked the nation and ignited widespread conversations about the responsibilities of social media regarding suicide encouragement.

In December 2020, Shiraishi was sentenced to death after his arraignment attracted considerable public attention. Debates surrounding his case included discussions on online platforms' roles in such tragedies, resulting in Twitter revising its policies against promoting suicide. Japan's Justice Minister, Keisuke Suzuki, emphasized the severe societal impact of Shiraishi's crimes during the announcement of his execution, declaring it necessary to restore a sense of security within the community.

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