Japan Executes ‘Twitter Killer’ in First Hanging Since 2022
Japan has executed Takahiro Shiraishi, the infamous serial killer known as the “Twitter Killer,” marking the country’s first use of capital punishment since 2022. The 33-year-old was hanged at the Tokyo Detention House after being convicted of murdering and dismembering nine individuals—eight women and one man—in 2017. His crimes had shocked the nation and drawn international attention for their horrifying use of social media as a lure.
Shiraishi targeted individuals expressing suicidal thoughts on Twitter. He approached them with offers to assist in their suicide or to die alongside them. Instead, he lured them to his apartment in Zama, Kanagawa Prefecture, where he strangled them, often after sexually assaulting them. The bodies were later dismembered and stored in coolers and boxes inside his home.
Execution Sparks Renewed Debate on Death Penalty
The execution was authorized by Japan’s Justice Minister Keisuke Suzuki, who described Shiraishi’s crimes as “extremely selfish” and of a nature that “greatly impacted society.” As per Japan’s long-standing protocol, Shiraishi was informed of his execution only on the morning it was carried out, a practice that has long drawn criticism from human rights groups.
Japan remains one of the few developed nations to retain the death penalty and use it actively. The country carries out executions by hanging, and the method has remained unchanged for decades. While a majority of the Japanese public continues to support the death penalty—polls suggest support is as high as 80%—the practice is increasingly under international scrutiny, especially after cases like that of Iwao Hakamada, a former death row inmate who was exonerated after more than 40 years.
Public Reaction and Legacy of the Case
Shiraishi’s crimes deeply unsettled Japanese society, not only due to their brutality but also for the way they exploited the vulnerabilities of individuals in emotional distress. The case had previously triggered a review of how social media platforms are monitored and prompted discussions around mental health outreach and suicide prevention.
With this execution, Japan has reaffirmed its stance on the use of capital punishment for heinous crimes. However, it has also reignited debate about the secrecy surrounding executions, the lack of appeals transparency, and whether capital punishment remains an effective tool of justice in modern democratic societies.
