"Exchange of 'Regret Cannons'—The Execution of Shiraishi and the Double Standard Debate Between Japan and Europe Reflected on Social Media"

1. The Incident and Execution of Sentence: Who is the "Twitter Killer" Takahiro Shiraishi?

In 2017, the bodies of nine people were discovered in an apartment in Zama City, Kanagawa Prefecture. Takahiro Shiraishi, known as the "Twitter Killer," was found to have approached young people with suicidal tendencies via social media, sexually assaulted them, and subsequently murdered and dismembered them. In December 2020, the Tokyo District Court sentenced him to death without any room for leniency, and the sentence was finalized by the Supreme Court. On the early morning of June 27, 2025, the sentence was carried out at the Tokyo Detention House, marking the first execution in three years.washingtonpost.comreuters.com

2. EU Joint Statement: Calling for a "Death Penalty Moratorium"

On the same evening, the EU Delegation to Japan issued a statement declaring, "The death penalty is an irreversible and cruel punishment that goes against the global trend of abolition." Embassies of member countries simultaneously spread the message on X with the hashtag #AbolishDeathPenalty. The statement urges the Japanese government to "first introduce a moratorium on executions."eeas.europa.eu

EUinJapan @EUinJapan
We express deep regret over today's execution of the death penalty in Japan. We oppose the death penalty under all circumstances and support its global abolition.

3. Additional Message from the French Embassy

The French Embassy also independently reposted, stating "The death penalty is inhumane," and cited the declaration of abolition on the 200th anniversary of the French Revolution. This became a spark that intensified the backlash from the Japanese side.x.com

4. Japanese Social Media in Turmoil: "No Right to Speak from a Country That Shoots People"

Thousands of comments flooded into the Togetter summary (2569561). On Hatena Bookmark, the phrase "No right to speak from a country that shoots people without trial" spread, with Japanese death penalty retentionists criticizing the EU's "double standards" by citing police shooting incidents in the West and the situation in Gaza.b.hatena.ne.jp

@steel_eel
Even when the West talks about human rights, it just feels like a troubled school boasting about its strict rules...

On the other hand, abolitionist users countered, "We should raise the national human rights standards over victim sentiments" and "The risk of wrongful convictions can never be zero," splitting the debate in two.

5. The Gap Between Japan and Europe on the Death Penalty

In Europe, the abolition of the death penalty progressed rapidly in the 1980s and 1990s, and currently, EU member states are required to abolish the death penalty as a treaty condition for membership. In contrast, in Japan, over 80% of the public supports retention according to opinion polls, and in recent years, "deterrence" and "victims' feelings" have been emphasized with each heinous crime.reuters.com

5-1 Execution Methods and Notification to Defendants

Japan: Hanging, notification to the person on the morning of execution / EU: Complete abolition.

5-2 Confusion with "Immediate Shooting" by European Police

Experts explain that the "on-site shooting" pointed out by Japanese retentionists is a police authority to quickly neutralize suspects and is different from judicial punishment.b.hatena.ne.jp

6. Social Issues Highlighted by the Shiraishi Case

• Social Media and the Vulnerability of Those with Suicidal Thoughts
  Reviewing post-incident measures such as strengthening X's policies and Japan's suicide prevention measures.washingtonpost.com

• Visualization of Interrogations and Risk of Wrongful Convictions
  Using the example of the 2024 Hakamada case retrial acquittal to point out the delay in Japan's criminal justice reform.

7. International Human Rights and Realpolitik

While the EU faces criticism over the Gaza conflict and refugee issues, Japan bears the stigma of being a "developed country with over 150 death row inmates." Analyzing the structure of "moral posturing" where each side targets the other's weaknesses.b.hatena.ne.jp

8. Expert Comments

• Seiko Mimaki (International Political Scientist)"The death penalty is a barometer not only of domestic public opinion but also of human rights diplomacy."x.com

• EU Diplomat in Japan (Anonymous)"Criticism is a duty. It is not interference in domestic affairs but the dissemination of universal values."

• Former Senior Official of the Japanese Ministry of Justice"The system is a mirror reflecting public sentiment. The political risk of abolition is too high."

9. Future Issues and Scenarios

1. Introduction of a Moratorium: Suspension of executions by parliamentary resolution → Possibility of a national referendum.

2. Partial Retention: Retaining the death penalty only for terrorism and mass murder.

3. Advancements in AI Judgments and Wrongful Conviction Prevention Technologies: Reigniting the debate by reducing the risk of wrongful convictions.

10. Conclusion: Who Decides the "Line of Life"?

The execution of Shiraishi, a death row inmate, serves as a "closure" for the victims' families but also as a spark for international conflict over the death penalty system. Amidst the passions on social media and diplomatic formalities, we must reconsider how we view "state-sanctioned killing." What is needed now is deliberation beyond the noise and a redesign of law and ethics that is not reduced to emotional arguments.