Killing of 9 in Zama: Execution Carried Out after Nearly 3-Year ‘Hiatus’

Editorial

14:59 JST, June 28, 2025

The successive murders of nine people who had become acquainted through such means as social media highlighted the dangers lurking behind the convenience of the internet. The latest development should serve as an opportunity for society to again consider the lessons learned.

Death row inmate Takahiro Shiraishi, who was convicted of such charges as robbery and forcible sexual intercourse-murder in connection with the 2017 killings of nine people in an apartment in the city of Zama, Kanagawa Prefecture, has been executed.

This was the first execution in two years and 11 months, since the execution of Tomohiro Kato in July 2022 for the Akihabara indiscriminate killing case, and the first execution under the administration of Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba.

The Zama case is extremely serious because nine people were killed. Shiraishi admitted to his crimes in court. He also withdrew his appeal, filed by his defense against the death sentence handed down in a lay judge trial at a district court. These factors must have been taken into consideration in Shiraishi’s execution.

“After intensely careful consideration, I have ordered the execution to be carried out,” Justice Minister Keisuke Suzuki said at a press conference.

In recent years, executions had been carried out almost every year in Japan. The prolonged suspension of executions was undoubtedly influenced by the retrial and acquittal of Iwao Hakamata, who had been sentenced to death for the 1966 murder of a family of four in Shizuoka Prefecture.

Once an execution is carried out, there is no way to reverse it even if the accusations are proven false later. The Hakamata case brought a fundamental flaw in the judicial system to the attention of society, highlighting the possibility that such a tragedy really could occur.

It took 58 years from Hakamata being arrested to the finalization of his acquittal in the retrial, revealing problems with the prolonged nature of the court process. While reforms to the retrial system are urgently needed, both the Legislative Council, an advisory panel to the justice minister, and the Diet are taking time to consolidate their views.

Reforming the retrial system is not only essential for sparing victims of false convictions but also for the maintenance of the death penalty system. A conclusion should be reached promptly, and the system should be amended to enable procedures to be conducted swiftly.

Many countries around the world have abolished the death penalty, and there are calls for a debate on abolition in Japan as well. However, surveys by the Cabinet Office have consistently shown over 80% of the public support the death penalty over the past 20 years. Considering the sentiments of the victims’ families and the deterrent effect on heinous crimes, many people probably think that the death penalty is “unavoidable.”

Shiraishi pretended to have suicidal tendencies and lured mainly female victims who had posted messages such as “I want to die” on social media, then killed them.

There is no end to criminals who target young people sharing their troubles online by using honeyed words and then commit such crimes as sexual assault. There also are cases where victims are coerced into participating in “dark part-time jobs.”

It is essential to recognize anew that getting connected with strangers through social media carries risks.

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, June 28, 2025)