In a chilling reminder of one of Japan’s most horrifying murder cases, authorities have carried out the country’s first execution in two years. Takahiro Shiraishi, infamously dubbed the “Twitter Killer”, was hanged for the brutal murders of nine people—eight women and one man—whom he lured to his Tokyo-area apartment in 2017.
Shiraishi, now 30, used Twitter to identify and contact his victims, preying on individuals struggling with suicidal thoughts. He promised to help them die—and in some cases, claimed he would die alongside them. His bio on Twitter chillingly read: “I want to help people who are really in pain. Please message me anytime.”
What police found inside his apartment was gruesome: nine dismembered bodies stuffed into coolers and toolboxes. His victims were heartbreakingly young—aged between 15 and 26.
During interrogation, Shiraishi openly confessed to targeting and murdering all nine victims. Although his lawyer initially argued that the killings were consensual, the truth unraveled in court when Shiraishi admitted he acted without their permission. This confession sealed his fate, prompting prosecutors to demand the death penalty. When his trial began in December 2020, it drew a massive public response, with hundreds gathering outside the courthouse.
Japan’s Justice Minister Keisuke Suzuki, who authorized the execution, said the punishment was fitting for the “extremely selfish” and calculated nature of Shiraishi’s crimes. He emphasized the emotional toll the case had taken on the nation and confirmed that 105 prisoners remain on death row.
This execution marks the first under Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba’s administration, which assumed office in October 2024. The last execution in Japan took place in July 2022, in connection with the 2008 Akihabara stabbing spree.
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