Japan's 'Twitter Killer' Sentenced to Death for Nine Murders

TOKYO, Japan – Takahiro Shiraishi, infamously known as the 'Twitter killer', has been sentenced to death in Japan for the murders of nine individuals. The verdict marks the first execution carried out in Japan in three years. Shiraishi, 30, was found guilty of luring suicidal individuals via Twitter, promising to assist them in ending their lives. Police investigations began in 2017 following the disappearance of a woman who was later identified as one of his victims. Authorities discovered dismembered remains of nine people, including eight women and one man, stored in cooler boxes and toolboxes at his apartment in Zama, near Tokyo. During the trial, prosecutors sought the death penalty, arguing that Shiraishi was fully responsible for his actions and that the victims did not consent to their deaths. Shiraishi himself contradicted his defense team, which had argued for a more lenient sentence based on 'murder by consent', by stating that he killed the victims without their consent. Presiding Judge Naokuni Ito described Shiraishi as 'cunning and cruel', emphasizing his complete responsibility for the heinous crimes. The case prompted Twitter to update its rules globally, prohibiting content that promotes or encourages suicide or self-harm.