A serial killer is typically a person who kills three or more people, with the murders taking place over more than a month and including a significant period of time between them. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) defines serial murder as "a series of two or more murders, committed as separate events, usually, but not always, by one offender acting alone".
Serial killers have existed in Japan since ancient times, and Japan has the fourth highest number of serial killers in the world after the United States, the United Kingdom, and Russia.
Pre-Empire of Japan serial killers Below is a list of serial killers active before the formation of the Empire of Japan in 1889. Name Nickname Yearsactive Provenvictims Possiblevictims Fate Notes Tokugawa Tadanaga "Suruga Dainagon" 1626–1632 ? ? Executed 1634 Daimyo who killed dozens of vassals. He may have suffered from schizophrenia. Legend has it that he cut up pregnant women and dismembered girls. Ordered by his older brother Tokugawa Iemitsu to commit seppuku for the crimes of theriocide, murder and misconduct. Executed by seppuku in 1633. Aochababa "Aochababa" 1771 and earlier 10 10+ Executed 1771 Unnamed middle-aged woman from kyoto who killed a large number of baby in baby farming. After being executed by decapitation in Kozukappara execution grounds in 1771, the body was dissected for research purposes by Sugita Genpaku, Maeno Ryōtaku and Katsuragawa Hoshū. Saito Hiroemon "Yaritsuki" 1806 7 7 Executed 1806 Thrill killer who killed 7 Homeless and Disabled people with a spear in Edo. Sadakichi Shimizu "Pistol robber" 1882–1886 5 6 Executed 1887 First recorded Japanese serial killer. He robbed and murdered five people in Tokyo between 1882 and 1886 and was executed in 1887. The police officer who arrested him died in 1888 from wounds sustained in a struggle with him; executed in 1887.
Empire of Japan serial killers Below is a list of serial killers active before the formation of the State of Japan in 1947. Name Nickname Yearsactive Provenvictims Possiblevictims Fate Notes Shige Sakakura 1898–1913 10 200+ Executed 1915 Baby farmer from Hioki Wakasa (present-day Nagoya) who suspicions arose that murdered hundreds of infants with two accomplices. Sentenced to death for ten murders.新聞集成大正編年史 大正3年度版 上, 739 page Sentenced to death and hanged in September 1915. Katsutaro Baba "Katsutaro the Liver Harvester" 1905–1907 6 6 Executed 1908 Strangled and mutilated five women and one infant in present-day Tatsuno from 1905 to 1907, stealing their gallbladders post-mortem; executed in 1908. Ryuun Daimai "The Nun Slayer" 1905–1915 5 5+ Executed 1916 Former monk who raped and killed at least five people in 1905 and 1915; executed in 1916. Satarō Fukiage 1906–1924 7 13–20+ Executed 1926 When he was 17 years old, he was arrested for raping and murdering a girl. He was later released and raped and murdered at least six additional girls. He was executed in 1926. Tokichi Ishii 1915 4 4 Executed 1918 Rapeist who committed 40 robberies and rapes and killed four people, including a police officer. Executed in 1918. Ihachiro Nakashima "Ihachiro the Devil" 1930 7 7+ Year of death unknown Former police officer who strangled least seven infants through baby farming. Sentenced to life imprisonment. Yoshio Kodaira 1932–1946 8 11+ Executed 1949 He was arrested for beating his wife's father-in-law to death with an iron rod in 1932. After his release, he raped more than 40 women and murdered at least seven people in Tochigi and Tokyo; executed in 1949. Seisaku Nakamura "Hamamatsu Deaf Killer" 1938–1942 9 11 Executed 1943 Deaf boy who killed at least nine people; executed in 1943. Miyuki Ishikawa "Demon Midwife" 1946–1948 5 84–169 Released in 1956; died in 1987 Midwife who murdered five infants, but could have been up to 84, between 1946 and 1948. Takeshi Ishikawa 1946–1948 5 84–169 Released in 1954; Year of death unknown Committed murders with accomplice Miyuki Ishikawa; sentenced to two years in prison for killing at least five infants.
Japan serial killers