Japan Executes Notorious ‘Twitter Killer’ After Gruesome Serial Murders

Japan carried out its first execution in nearly three years with the hanging of Takahiro Shiraishi, a man who gained notoriety as the “Twitter killer.” Convicted in 2020 of murdering and dismembering nine individuals, most of them young women, Shiraishi was executed on Friday at the Tokyo Detention House. He was 34 years old.

A Trail of Death Hidden Behind Social Media

The chilling case unfolded in 2017, when investigators began searching for a 23-year-old woman who had gone missing after expressing suicidal thoughts online. Their investigation led to Shiraishi’s apartment in Zama, Kanagawa Prefecture, where they made a horrifying discovery: human remains, including heads and bones, were stored in cooler boxes and containers throughout the residence.

Shiraishi had used social media platforms, particularly Twitter (now X), to find and lure his victims. Operating under a pseudonym that translated loosely to “hangman,” he posed as someone who could assist others in ending their lives, but instead preyed upon their vulnerability for his own sexual gratification. His victims ranged in age from 15 to 26 and had all posted online about suicidal thoughts.

According to reports from Japanese media and court documents, Shiraishi admitted to murdering, sexually assaulting, and dismembering eight women and one man over the span of two months. The court found that his motivation stemmed from “selfish desires,” primarily sexual in nature, and he showed no remorse during his trial.

The Death Penalty in Japan: A Rare and Secretive Practice

Shiraishi’s sentence was finalized after a brief appeal process. His lawyer initially filed for an appeal to the Tokyo High Court, but it was withdrawn, leaving the original sentence intact. On Friday, Justice Minister Keisuke Suzuki confirmed that he had signed the execution order after what he described as “careful and deliberate” review.

“This is a deeply serious and disturbing crime,” Suzuki said during a press briefing. “The deaths of nine people over such a short period have caused widespread fear and sorrow throughout the country. The victims and their families have suffered immeasurably.”

Executions in Japan are carried out by hanging and are conducted in strict secrecy. Families, attorneys, and the public are not informed until after the procedure has taken place. Shiraishi’s death is the first execution in Japan since July 2022, and his case has reignited national discussions on capital punishment, social media dangers, and mental health vulnerabilities.

Public Reaction and Lingering Questions

In the wake of the execution, public response has been mixed. Some, including the relatives of victims, felt that justice had been served. Others questioned whether the death penalty offers closure. One father of a female victim told NHK that he would have preferred Shiraishi to “live the rest of his life reflecting on the pain he caused.”

Shiraishi’s crimes led to widespread concern about how easily social media can be manipulated to target emotionally distressed individuals. Experts and advocates have since called for stronger mental health resources, especially online, and better monitoring of predatory behavior on digital platforms.

Japan continues to face global scrutiny over its death penalty practices, yet polls consistently show strong domestic support for capital punishment, particularly in cases involving multiple victims or extreme violence.