The Twisted Tale Of Hiroshi Maeue: Japan's Suicide Strangler

When Osaka resident Hiroshi Maeue met strangers in "Suicide Chatrooms" he lured them in by making a suicide pact with them. Little did they know that his intentions were even more sinister

Background

The internet can be a dangerous place. At the dawn of the digital age, online spaces were populated with chat rooms and social clubs. These often highly unregulated forums allowed internet users to connect with others around the world.

For some, this was an exciting way to meet new people, forge friendships, and share information. However, the early internet was far from a safe place. Just as the modern internet is filled with digital dangers, there have been dark spaces online since the very beginning of the World Wide Web.

In desperate times, people tend to seek solace from like-minded individuals. Unfortunately, this applies also to those who are not in a sound state of mind. Misery loves company, after all. Because of this, the early internet saw an emergence of online “suicide clubs,” wherein members chillingly encouraged one …