Overview

• Takahiro Shiraishi was hanged on June 27 after withdrawing his appeal and confessing to the murders of nine people he lured via Twitter
• Justice Minister Keisuke Suzuki authorized the execution following a court finding that Shiraishi’s crimes were calculated and cruel
• The execution ended Japan’s nearly three-year halt on capital punishment during which four justice ministers oversaw no executions
• A recent government survey shows over 80% of Japanese citizens back the death penalty even as human rights groups decry Japan’s detention and execution protocols
• Shiraishi’s case prompted Twitter (now X) to ban any content that promotes or encourages suicide and intensified scrutiny of online safety measures