In brief
Japan has executed Takahiro Shiraishi, a man responsible for the brutal killings of nine individuals in 2017, as announced by the justice minister. Shiraishi, 34, was convicted after the discovery of dismembered body parts in his residence, shocking the nation known for its low crime rates.
On June 27, 2025, Japan's justice minister confirmed the execution of Takahiro Shiraishi, who was convicted of the serial killings of nine people. Shiraishi was put to death at the Tokyo Detention House, marking the country's first execution in nearly three years. His crimes, which took place during a two-month period in 2017, included the murders of eight women and a man, with police discovering their dismembered and decomposed remains in his home, concealed in coolers filled with cat litter to mask the horrid smell. Justice Minister Keisuke Suzuki stated that he signed the execution order on Monday and emphasized the appalling nature of Shiraishi's crimes, which caused immense grief to the victims' families. The Tokyo court had sentenced Shiraishi in 2020, and he spent less than half the usual time on death row before his execution. The victims, ranging from ages 15 to 26, included students who had sought him online, with some having been sexually assaulted before their deaths.Shiraishi's lawyer, Akira Omori, expressed shock at the suddenness of the execution, revealing he had met with his client just days before. In Japan, there are currently 105 inmates on death row, and despite international calls to abolish capital punishment, public opinion largely remains in favor of it. Kiuko Notoya contributed reporting from Tokyo, and Martin Fackler serves as the acting Tokyo bureau chief for The Times.
