For the first time since 2022, Japan has used the death penalty and executed a convict. The executed man is Takahiro Shiraishi, dubbed the “Twitter killer”, who killed 9 young women in 2017.
Shiraishi used to befriend his victims on Twitter (now X), then used to take them to his apartment, and then strangle them before dismembering the dead bodies.
Takahiro Shiraishi used to target victims who expressed suicidal thoughts online. He used to tell these suicidal women that he can help them die, and in some cases, told them that he will also die along with them. His victims were between the age of 16 to 25.
The killings came to light in October 2017, when police found body parts in the Japanese city of Zama, when they were searching for one of the victims.
His murders led to policy changes on the social media platform which amended its rules to state users should not promote or encourage suicide or self-harm.
