• Japan has carried out its first execution since 2022, executing Takahiro Shiraishi for murdering nine people in 2017. The case prompted national debate over suicide, mental health, and regulation of online platforms like Twitter.

TOKYO, JAPAN — The Japanese government has executed Takahiro Shiraishi, known as the “Twitter killer,” marking the country’s first use of capital punishment since 2022. Shiraishi was convicted in 2020 of murdering and dismembering nine individuals—most of them young women—after luring them via social media, a case that sparked intense national scrutiny over online suicide forums and digital platform responsibility.

Justice Minister Keisuke Suzuki authorized the execution, stating the decision was grounded in public safety and legal precedent. “The death penalty was necessary due to the extremely grave nature of the crime,” Suzuki said. “The convict acted for the genuinely selfish reason of satisfying his own sexual and financial desires.”

The executions were carried out in accordance with Japan’s Criminal Code, which allows capital punishment in particularly heinous cases. The Ministry of Justice confirmed that the sentence was administered by hanging, the standard method used in the country.

Details of the Case

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Shiraishi, 33, used Twitter—now rebranded as X—to contact victims expressing suicidal thoughts. Between August and October 2017, he lured them to his apartment in Zama, a suburb southwest of Tokyo, under the false pretense of offering support or assistance in suicide.

Instead, he murdered them, later admitting to strangling each victim and dismembering their bodies. Police discovered nine bodies stored in coolers and toolboxes when they searched his residence in October 2017.

“I wanted to kill someone. It didn’t matter who,” Shiraishi told investigators, according to court documents.

His victims ranged in age from 15 to 26, with most of them being young women. Prosecutors argued he had clearly exploited his victims’ mental vulnerabilities and sought the death penalty. Although his defense team initially claimed he acted with the victims’ consent, Shiraishi himself later contradicted that position, stating none had consented to being killed.

Policy Implications and Social Media Reform

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The case reverberated beyond the courtroom, leading to significant changes in Japan’s approach to suicide prevention and digital communication. Twitter modified its global policy in the aftermath, stating users must not “promote or encourage suicide or self-harm.”

Japan, which has one of the highest suicide rates among developed nations, also increased funding for suicide prevention efforts. In 2023, the Japanese Diet approved a ¥2.1 billion ($14 million USD) mental health campaign to provide 24/7 counseling services and online resources for vulnerable youth.

“We must continue to build a society where people can seek help without fear or shame,” said Health Minister Keizo Takahashi.

Public reaction to the execution has been mixed. While many in Japan support capital punishment—nearly 80% according to a 2023 government poll—human rights groups have long criticized the secrecy surrounding executions and the absence of prior notification to inmates.

Shiraishi’s execution closes a grim chapter in Japan’s criminal justice history, but it reopens important questions about mental health, digital oversight, and judicial transparency. Readers are encouraged to comment and share their thoughts below.

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