Police in Toda, Saitama Prefecture, have arrested a 71-year-old woman on suspicion of setting her son's room on fire.
Eiko Sasaki is suspected of setting fire to her son's room at around 9 a.m. Sunday, Sankei Shimbun reported. The fire spread and destroyed the 50-square-meter apartment.
According to police, Sasaki has admitted to the charge and was quoted as saying that she was upset with her 50-year-old son for letting magazines pile up in his room, so she decided to burn them.
Sasaki said she lit a newspaper and threw it into the room while her son was out.
© Japan Today
36 Comments
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AramaTaihenNoYouDidnt
Maybe mom got fed up taking care of him, wanted a way out and to be looked after. Well, she sure played her number. Son, at 50, will need to fix up his own things from now on.
Michael Net Work
The first 50 years of childhood are the hardest
Oh, Pie!
50 years old and still living with mom...I'd have stayed in the fire were I him. Poor mother.
Garthgoyle
A psycho in charge of a 50 years old baby.
Palma_san
I understand how people can feel as if the situation is justified, but we really shouldn't judge so quickly with such lack of information. The son could have a permanent condition or ailment that keeps him from being more beneficial at home. While it may be unlikely, we still shouldn't jump so quickly to conclusions and harsh decisions. (^-^)/
ulysses
Did anybody think of dementia?
Most normal people do not throw burning newspapers into houses, let alone rooms filled with paper.
But good to see our English teachers holding no punches on the 50 year old staying in the house. For all you know he might have done that to look after a mother who obviously does not behave very rationally.
Wc626
Society too. I always used to see middle-aged and older japanese men with their "mangas" on the train. The mother was angry and fed-up to see all those "JUMP" magazines and skimpy dressed teenage girls all over her house. Pathetic!
tmarie
I'm going to guess that mommy and daddy created this mess by raising a son to behave like this. It never fails to amaze me how parents (moms?) allow their kids to be spoiled brats and then turn around and complain when their kids are... spoiled brats. Come on now mom! You raised him to be lazy like this.
Dennis Bauer
I wouldn't call black with sooth clean, calling a cleaning agency would have been cheaper.
turbotsat
I guess you missed the part where the article said "have arrested".
DaDude
She should do what homeless people do and burn garbage in a bin outside to keep warm. Now she is the one who is homeless.
Dave Carlson
While mom's is in the "Slammer" the son will have lots of places to hoard his reading material now!
B.l. Sharma
All agitated and mentally aggressive Japanese people must learn how to calm their minds and control their violent thoughts that crop up and agitate their minds frequently and approach all their family matters in a peaceful and calm manner so as to maintain love, affection ,peace and harmony in the family .
Derp Man
Most you people saying he is home stay but how do you know that, what if he let her move in so he could look after her?
Serrano
The woman endangered everyone living in the apartment building. She should have gotten help in kicking her son out.
"He got his room cleaned up, got his mother into government care and will get the apartment to himself"
You must have missed this part: The fire spread and destroyed the 50-square-meter apartment.
Mirai Hayashi
Just kick him out!
Zaphod
Tough education methods in Saitama!
Rik314
I know how she feels...
Geihinkan
And then there was that weird story about the 19 y.o. murdering his grandparents over an allowance. Got a weird feeling I should prepare to see a lot of really over-the-top crimes between the young & old in the pretty near future.
dcog9065
A 71-year old mother living with her 50-year old son with piled up manga and idol magazines in Saitama? What a truly bleak world
Laguna
"Magazines," eh? Bet they were manga.
Commodore Shmidlap (Retired)
I thought moms just tossed out your precious magazines when they piled up too much.
shonanbb
I hope all their valuables were in a fire box.
Disillusioned
A 50-year-old 'mummy's boy' wouldn't clean up his room so she torched it? I'm not sure whether to laugh at the absurdity or cry at the ridiculousness!
nath
Whew, talk about throwing the baby out with the bathwater...
Christopher Scott Magor
This is a pure win for the not so young man in question. He got his room cleaned up, got his mother into government care and will get the apartment to himself - all without spending a single yen.
smithinjapan
Ah, Saitama! So, did this woman figure out it would be easier to clean a gutted apartment? Most cost-manageable? No problems at all now with the neighbours?
Pure genius, this one. Well done, Eiko.
goldorak
Wrong, sad, funny yet pathetic on so many levels, this story has it all!
Hope it wasn't his 'special' magazines wink wink. No one messes with sasaki san, son.
Aly Rustom
I guess not only the kids, but also the parents can be loons too.
Mocheake
Well, no need to clean it up now except for the ashes. Riverside cardboard house anyone? Brilliant lady.
Kobe White Bar Owner
That one way to get him to leave....
rainyday
Two generations sharing space in a microscopic 50 square metre apartment (2K probably) in Saitama would probably do that to you. Can`t say that I envy either of them that.
Goodlucktoyou
Feel sorry for the neighbours, but she hade of made her point
Shaniel Tinirau Sharma
omfg useless son living with his mother at that age he should be married and looking after her
Magnet
A 50 year-old homestay son? Surprised she waited so long.
Tessa
Because, Japan.