Dubbed the "Twitter killer", Takahiro Shiraishi was arrested in 2017 after body parts were found in his flat.

He told a court in Tokyo on Wednesday that the allegations against him "are all correct".

But his lawyers argue that his charges should be reduced because his victims apparently gave consent to be killed.

If convicted of murder, Mr Shiraishi faces the death penalty, which is carried out by hanging in Japan.

The court case has attracted wide interest, with more than 600 people lining up for 13 public gallery seats to watch the first hearing on Wednesday, reported public broadcaster NHK.

SOURCE: BBC