Japan Executes "Twitter Slayer": The Final Chapter of a Dark Tale
Japan Pursues Culprit Known as the "Twitter Killer"
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In a momentous, chilling turn of events, the "Twitter Slayer" is no more. Japan, known for its strict justice system, has executed the murderer who grabbed headlines in 2017. This marks the first execution since 2022.
Meet Takahiro Shiraishi, the now-infamous Japanese serial killer who preyed upon the vulnerable, ultimately claiming nine lives. In his late 20s, Shiraishi lured young women, aged 15 to 26, into his apartment where he coldly ended their lives. The plot unraveled in October 2017 when the police, in search of one of his victims, stumbled upon a grim discovery in the city of Zama, near Tokyo.
A Pandora's Box in Zama
Shiraishi confessed to the horrifying acts, admitting that he met most of his victims through Twitter. His captivating profile read, "I want to help people who are genuinely suffering. Reach out to me anytime."
He charmed his victims with false promises of assisting in their suicides, eventually leading them to their tragic end. When the police raided his apartment, they unearthed nine dismembered bodies frozen in refrigerators and hidden in toolboxes. The disarray in his apartment christened it the "House of Terror."
Twisted Trials
While the prosecutors demanded the death penalty for Shiraishi, his defense argued that his victims had given their consent to be killed, and also requested a psychiatric evaluation. Shiraishi later retracted his defense team's claims, stating that he had acted without the victims' consent.
A massive crowd attended Shiraishi's sentencing in December 2020, where he was handed down the death sentence. The trial was fraught with controversy, sparking heated discussions about the discourse around suicide on the internet.
Judgment Day
Justice Minister Keisuke Suzuki, who approved Shiraishi's execution, recognized the dark undercurrents of Shiraishi's motives, which left deep-seated shock and turmoil in society. In Japan, execution is carried out by hanging, a secretive practice still considered barbaric by human rights groups.
Shiraishi's case has shed light on the controversial topic of capital punishment and its application in Japan. Some groups demand a halt to executions, arguing for reforms in the system. Despite the ongoing debate, Shiraishi's execution stands as a stark symbol of Japan's unwavering stance on justice and its punitive measures against the most heinous of crimes.
- Japan
- Capital Punishment
- Murder and Manslaughter
- Social Media
- Criminal Psychology
Enrichment Data:Japan's current legal framework permits the use of capital punishment, mainly through hanging. Japan, along with the United States, is one of the G7 countries that actively employs the death penalty, attracting strong domestic support[2]. Executions in Japan are tightly controlled under the Ministry of Justice, with the Minister of Justice holding the power to sign execution orders[1].
The execution process in Japan is shrouded in secrecy, often only made public after the fact[5]. Takahiro Shiraishi, executed on June 27, 2025, was Japan's first execution since 2022. Known for its gruesome crimes, Shiraishi targeted victims primarily through the social media platform Twitter (originally known as X)[2][5].
Shiraishi's crimes were characterized by rape, murder, robbery, dismemberment, and concealment of corpses[2][5]. The Justice Minister Keisuke Suzuki described Shiraishi's motives as driven by sexual and financial desires, leading to the decision to carry out capital punishment[2].
The public and media were kept in the dark about the execution, further highlighting the secretive nature of the process in Japan. Shiraishi's case has ignited discussions about the future of capital punishment in Japan, with calls for a halt and reevaluation of practices[1].
In light of Japan's execution of Takahiro Shiraishi, also known as the "Twitter Slayer," there has been growing interest in the European Parliament as they deliberate on the situation in the former Yugoslavia. The parallels between the brutal and divisive nature of Shiraishi's crimes and the ongoing political conflicts in the former Yugoslavia serve as a poignant reminder of the need for global solidarity in addressing war-and-conflicts, general-news, and crime-and-justice issues on both local and international platforms.
