Japan Executes “Twitter Killer” Takahiro Shiraishi
Convicted Serial Murderer Who Lured Victims on Social Media Executed After Shocking Nation
- Japan has carried out the execution of Takahiro Shiraishi
- The serial killings by Shiraishi deeply shocked Japan
- Shiraishi later confessed to murdering nine suicidal individuals
Japan has carried out the execution of Takahiro Shiraishi, the man dubbed the “Twitter killer,” who was convicted of murdering nine people in 2017. This marks the first instance of capital punishment enacted in the country since 2022.
The serial killings by Shiraishi deeply shocked Japan and ignited a national debate about the discussion of suicide on online platforms. Shiraishi, who was 30 at the time, lured his victims—mostly young women aged between 15 and 26—to his apartment, where he strangled and dismembered them.
The horrific crimes came to light in October 2017 when police discovered dismembered body parts in coolers and toolboxes at his Zama apartment, near Tokyo, while searching for one of the missing victims. Media outlets quickly dubbed his residence a “house of horrors.”
Shiraishi later confessed to murdering nine suicidal individuals whom he had met on Twitter (now known as X). He would offer to help them die, and in some instances, even claimed he would commit suicide alongside them. His Twitter profile reportedly contained the chilling message: “I want to help people who are really in pain. Please DM [direct message] me anytime.”
During his trial, prosecutors sought the death penalty, while Shiraishi’s lawyers initially argued for a lesser charge of “murder with consent,” claiming his victims had agreed to be killed. They also requested an assessment of his mental state. However, Shiraishi himself later contradicted his defense team, stating that he had killed his victims without their consent.
Hundreds of people attended his verdict hearing in December 2020, where he was sentenced to death.
The murders also prompted changes by Twitter, which subsequently amended its rules to prohibit users from “promot[ing] or encourag[ing] suicide or self-harm.”
Japan’s Justice Minister Keisuke Suzuki confirmed he ordered Shiraishi’s execution, stating that the killer acted “for the genuinely selfish reason of satisfying his own sexual and financial desires,” according to an AFP report. Suzuki added that the case “caused great shock and anxiety to society.”
