In June 2025, Japan executed Takahiro Shiraishi, known worldwide as the “Twitter Killer.” He became famous for luring victims through the social network, exploiting the emotional fragility of people with suicidal tendencies. The execution took place nearly eight years after the crimes that shocked the country and reignited debates about the death penalty, mental health, and digital security.
Between August and October 2017, Shiraishi murdered and dismembered nine people, eight women and one man, all aged between 15 and 26 years. The case came to light when police found human remains in his apartment in Zama, Kanagawa Prefecture. The investigation was triggered after the disappearance of a young woman, whose communication with the criminal was traced back to him.
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The method of the Twitter Killer
Shiraishi used Twitter to locate vulnerable targets, usually people expressing a desire to die. He presented himself as someone willing to assist in “assisted suicide” and promised to die alongside the victim. It was a trap. Once he gained their trust, he arranged meetings and took the victims to his apartment, where he killed them by strangulation.
In several cases, he committed sexual abuse before or after the murder, and he admitted that the main motive was sexual pleasure and a sense of control, not empathy or a genuine desire to die with the victims.
After the crimes, he dismembered the bodies with tools purchased beforehand, stored parts in thermal boxes covered with cat litter — trying to disguise the smell of decomposition — and, in some cases, discarded parts as household waste. The murders were committed in sequence, always following the same methodical pattern of approach, execution, and concealment.
Victim profile
As far as is known, Shiraishi murdered nine people, consisting of eight women and one man, aged between 15 and 26 years. According to reports, their identities are:
- Mizuki Miura, 21 years old – murdered on August 23, 2017
- Kureha Ishihara, 15 years old – murdered on August 28, 2017
- Shogo Nishinaka, 20 years old – the only man among the victims, killed on August 30, 2017
- Hinako Sarashina, 19 years old – murdered on September 16, 2017
- Hitomi Fujima, 26 years old – murdered on September 24, 2017
- Akari Suda, 17 years old – murdered on September 28, 2017
- Natsumi Kubo, 17 years old – murdered on September 30, 2017
- Kazumi Maruyama, 25 years old – murdered on October 18, 2017
- Aiko Tamura, 23 years old – murdered on October 23, 2017
Arrest and confession
The arrest occurred on October 31, 2017. The police found nine dismembered bodies after following the trail of one of the victims and using a fake profile to lure him. Upon being detained, Shiraishi confessed to the murders without hesitation. He told the police that he acted out of sexual desire and that he had no remorse.
During the trial, which began in September 2020, the lawyers attempted to argue that some victims had consented to their own murders. The court rejected this defense, stating that there was no real consent and that the defendant manipulated people in a state of extreme mental fragility. In December of the same year, Shiraishi was sentenced to death. He did not appeal the sentence.
Execution and societal response
The execution was carried out in Tokyo, by hanging, the standard method in Japan. The Ministry of Justice confirmed Shiraishi’s death on June 27, 2025. The decision was announced without prior notice to the public, as is common in the Japanese penal system, where condemned individuals are only informed on the day of execution.
The repercussions were immediate. Family members of the victims expressed relief, although some human rights organizations criticized Japan for maintaining the death penalty. Criminal justice experts pointed out that, even in light of the cruelty of the case, the debate on transparency and penal reform needs to continue.
Although Japan seems to have fair trials, unfortunately not all cases end with justice. One of the most terrible and violent cases in Japan, Junko Furuta, ended with the criminals free and living a normal life.
The impact of the case
The case of the Twitter Killer had lasting consequences. Social networks reinforced policies against suicidal speech and content that encourages self-harm. Digital security gained new contours, especially in Japan, where online surveillance is still considered limited in the face of the sophistication of abusers like Shiraishi.
Furthermore, the case reignited discussions about the treatment of people suffering from psychological distress on social networks. The absence of efficient support mechanisms was one of the factors that enabled the crimes.
On the legal front, the episode reinforced criticisms of the Japanese justice system, especially regarding the death penalty and the way confessions are obtained. The execution, although widely accepted by the population, also led to comparisons with other controversial cases, such as that of Iwao Hakamada, wrongfully convicted and released decades later.
What this case teaches us
Takahiro Shiraishi exploited gaps — both human and digital — to commit brutal crimes. His execution closes a dark chapter but leaves open questions. How to protect those who suffer in silence on social networks? Is the judicial system prepared to deal with complex digital crimes? And, most importantly, how to prevent someone from turning despair into a target?
Answering these questions is as important as judging the guilty.
We recommend reading: Criminal Minds – Cases in Japan
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