The "Twitter killer" executed in Japan: a case of horror

Japan has executed by hanging Takahiro Shiraishi , the 34-year-old man known worldwide as the "Twitter Killer," for the murder and dismemberment of nine people he contacted through social media in a case that shook society to its foundations.

Takahiro Shiraishi, 34, was executed by hanging at the Tokyo Detention Center on June 27, the Ministry of Justice confirmed. As is customary in Japan, the execution was carried out in secret and was only publicly announced after its completion.

Shiraishi was sentenced to death in 2020 for the murder of nine people—eight women and one man—between the ages of 15 and 26, in a span of just two months in 2017.

Shiraishi's modus operandi earned him the gruesome nickname "Twitter Killer." Using a profile whose name translated as "executioner" or "hangman," he actively targeted users, mostly young women, who posted messages expressing suicidal thoughts.

His profile contained a deceptively empathetic message: "I want to help people who are truly suffering. Please send me a direct message anytime." With promises like "let's die together," he lured them to his small apartment in the town of Zama, near Tokyo, which would become a house of horrors.

Once there, he raped the female victims and strangled them. He also murdered one of the women's boyfriends to silence him.

The case came to light in October 2017, when police, investigating the disappearance of a 23-year-old woman, arrived at Shiraishi's apartment. What they found was beyond belief: inside coolers and toolboxes, they found dismembered body parts, sprinkled with cat litter in an attempt to mask the smell of decomposition.

During the trial, Shiraishi's defense team attempted to argue that the victims had consented to their deaths, seeking a reduced sentence for "consensual murder." However, the court flatly rejected this claim. Shiraishi himself admitted to committing the crimes to satisfy his "sexual and financial desires."

The judge called his actions "cunning and cruel," stating that Shiraishi had taken advantage of "mentally fragile" individuals and violated their dignity.

"This case caused great shock and unrest in society, with nine precious human lives lost in a two-month period for the extremely selfish reasons of satisfying their own sexual and financial desires," said Justice Minister Keisuke Suzuki.

The case of Takahiro Shiraishi is a terrifying demonstration of how platforms designed for connection can be exploited by predators to exploit vulnerability. His execution not only closes a dark chapter for the victims' families but also reignites the intense debate in Japan and around the world about the death penalty, online safety, and the need for greater mental health support in the digital age.