In one of the most disturbing and widely discussed criminal cases in Japan’s history, Takahiro Shiraishi — known as the “Twitter Killer” — has been executed, putting a final end to a horrifying chapter that left a nation shaken and nine innocent lives lost.
Shiraishi, 34, was hanged at the Tokyo Detention Center on June 25, 2025, as confirmed by Japan’s Ministry of Justice. His execution comes nearly eight years after his terrifying crimes came to light, when police found nine dismembered bodies in his apartment in Zama, a quiet city just outside Tokyo. The victims were mostly young women, all of whom he targeted through Twitter — a platform he used to find people dealing with emotional pain or suicidal thoughts.
Who Was Takahiro Shiraishi, the “Twitter Killer”?
In 2017, the case exploded across media outlets globally after authorities uncovered that Shiraishi had used social media to lure victims. He searched for vulnerable people on Twitter, often posting under false names and offering to help them die — or promising to die with them. But instead, he murdered them and dismembered their bodies in his small apartment.
Eight women and one man were killed between August and October 2017. When police finally raided his home, they made a shocking discovery: body parts stored in coolers and containers, carefully hidden. His confession was swift — and chilling. Shiraishi admitted everything without remorse.
He was sentenced to death in 2020, despite his lawyers trying to argue that some victims had “consented” to die. The court strongly rejected that defense, calling the crimes cruel, calculated, and beyond forgiveness.
The Execution and What It Means for Japan
Japan remains one of the few developed countries that still carries out the death penalty, mostly by hanging. Executions are conducted in extreme secrecy. Inmates often don’t know the exact date of their execution until the very day it happens.
Human rights groups have criticized this system, calling it outdated and inhumane. But in Japan, public support for the death penalty remains strong, especially in brutal cases like this one.
For the families of the victims, the execution brings some closure — but the pain never truly goes away. One father of a victim said, “It won’t bring my daughter back, but at least he won’t hurt anyone else ever again.”
Reactions from Around the World
The execution quickly went viral online, with users around the world reacting to the case that first horrified the internet years ago. Many were shocked to remember how the murders began with nothing more than a tweet.
This has also reignited debates about the dark side of social media. Experts warn that platforms like Twitter must take responsibility for allowing predators to operate freely. Some are calling for stronger protections and mental health resources for users expressing suicidal thoughts online.
In Japan, the case became a turning point in how the country looks at mental health, online safety, and crime. Shiraishi’s death may mark the end of his life — but the effects of what he did will continue to be felt for years.
