Police say 13-year-old girl has admitted killing mother

This - 13-year-old girl suspected in mother's murder in Shizuoka

Then this - Police would not disclose the child's sex or school year

In Japan, children under 14 years of age cannot be held criminally responsible for their actions.

... and how does this make sense?

Terrible tragic story.

Michael MachidaToday  04:57 pm JST

In Japan, children under 14 years of age cannot be held criminally responsible for their actions.

... and how does this make sense?

Quite easily. First not all 14 year olds are the same mentally.

They maybe 14 numerically, but emotionally and mentally,some cannot control their actions and may have the mental age of say an 7, 10 year old. Some 14 year old have mental illnesses.Including shizophrenia. Since we do not know much about the case, or the back ground I think I will keep an open mind.

The age is just there for the ease of the legal system to charge some one. It is then up the courts and judges, social workers and psychiatrists to then take a look at the whole picture. That's why they are called JUDGES.

Just to easy to look at an age, and then JUDGE! as though every 14 year old is the same as every other 14 year old.

The age of criminal responsibility for many developed countries is 8 years old.

14 is moving real close to adult. Close enough to know right from wrong.

Another daily family murder in safety Japan. And to boot, the girl can't be held responsible, so no consequences. Well done!

suspected of involvement

So in this strange p.c. formulation maybe she only earlier bought or handed over the knife to someone else? That’s by far not criminal, even if over 13 and being a girl of unknown or unoutspeakable sex. Lol Everyone does that in the kitchen sometimes. Could you give me the knife over there? Yes, here you are…

Seems to be globally impossible nowadays to simply tell the truth with direct speech and straight words, huh?

@Michael Machida-No it is not. Not sure where you get your facts from but the use of the word ‘many’ is ridiculous. There are a LOT more developed countries that are closer to 14yo than there are 8yo.

@MIchael Machida

Where did you get that information? I looked it up just now and it applies to comparatively few countries. Around 14 seems to be the most common.

There is no modern country that holds 8 year olds criminally liable. That’s just not rational.

Some hold 14 year olds liable to some extent. This child is 13.

My math skills are a bit rusty but I recall 13 being less than 14.

Lord Help Us.

JT should the article headline say 13 year old kills mother, to prevent revealing the sex of the person.

@Abe234 Truth be told WE are all mentally ill at some point.

Michael MachidaToday  04:57 pm JST

In Japan, children under 14 years of age cannot be held criminally responsible for their actions.

... and how does this make sense?

Quite easily. First not all 14 year olds are the same mentally.

They maybe 14 numerically, but emotionally and mentally,some cannot control their actions and may have the mental age of say an 7, 10 year old. Some 14 year old have mental illnesses.Including shizophrenia. Since we do not know much about the case, or the back ground I think I will keep an open mind.

The age is just there for the ease of the legal system to charge some one. It is then up the courts and judges, social workers and psychiatrists to then take a look at the whole picture. That's why they are called JUDGES.

Just to easy to look at an age, and then JUDGE! as though every 14 year old is the same as every other 14 year old.

@Roy Sophveason Are you sure because you wrote "Japan is by law forbidden to disclose any information that would allow their identification. In this case wouldn't the sex of the girl be a form of "identification"?

This - 13-year-old girl suspected in mother's murder in Shizuoka

Then this - Police would not disclose the child's sex or school year

For minors involved in a crime, police in Japan is by law forbidden to disclose any information that would allow their identification (something they do in great detail for adults, including the full name and place of living of even unconvicted suspects). As the article mentions, the details about her age and gender come from a third-party "investigative source".

@Nemo Question, Ok I get it you said your math skills are a bit rusty but can you recall 14 being more than 13. Is that rational, if not then there's a problem and your point is well taken. In this case, its what the law says not what the person done.

There is no modern country that holds 8 year olds criminally liable. That’s just not rational.

Some hold 14 year olds liable to some extent. This child is 13.

My math skills are a bit rusty but I recall 13 being less than 14.

Just when you thought the boundaries of depravity couldn’t be exceeded, we get this, the latest in a litany of horror stories that are disabusing all but rusted on true believers’ faith in Safety Country’. Pity her siblings, who’ll carry this knowledge around for the rest of their lives.

This is gonna haunt her for the rest of her remaining life. Her future is practically over before it even started.

There is no modern country that holds 8 year olds criminally liable. That’s just not rational.

The USA is a global outlier, with 24 states having no age limit on criminal responsibility.

*The age of criminal responsibility for many developed countries is 8 years old.*

Just looked this up and that is simply not true. 14 is way closer to the norm among developed countries than 8 is.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Age_of_criminal_responsibility

rainyday, HiJapan, Nemo

The age of criminal responsibility in England and Wales is 10 yrs . In Scotland it is 8 yrs.

There should be some consistency on a legal system. For various things, the responsible age is 15 in japan that a child can make decisions. Why is it 14 for crimes? If the victims of a crime aren’t parents, parents should be held responsible for child’s crime. In this case, it’s a sad situation and nothing needs to be done for the child other than counselling. Her own guilt feelings would be more than any penalty as she grows up. I hope she doesn’t suicide later. She is still a very young child.

How on earth could this have happened ? Did her mother beat her most days of her thirteen years? Was she brought up without a father? Was her mother in her early or late forties? How could I make a comment without knowing more about the girl? And about her mother? Isn't this the most horrificcally tragic murder any reader of Japan Today has ever come across?

*In Scotland it is 8 yrs.*

I think it's 12.

https://www.mygov.scot/young-people-police

The age of criminal responsibility for many developed countries is 8 years old.

14 is moving real close to adult. Close enough to know right from wrong.

Actually it's around 14. It does vary widely though.

In Scotland it is **8 yrs**.

I think it's 12.

You are correct....it is 12 in Scotland

Well, if you wanna do a crime, do it before 14. Might as well go for the gold while you're at it.

such actions

-disclaimer: meant as satire. I do not condone

children killing parents, parents killing children, wife killing husband, and husband killing wife. We are indeed living in perilous times when men are without NATURAL AFFECTION and fierce.

The age of consensual sex is age 13 in japan, but you cant be charged with murder at 13 ? The mind boggles !

The age of consensual sex is age 13 in japan, but you cant be charged with murder at 13 ? The mind boggles !

That is incorrect. The age of consent is set nationally at 13, but all prefectures have established ages of consent around 17 or 18.

Apparently the mother was killed by her daughter after an argument about the kid's excessive mobile phone use. Totally pointless.

Many violent confrontations start with little things such as that.

And it can easily result in someone being killed or seriously injured if there are weapons that are easily accessible