81-year-old man arrested for murder after pushing wife in wheelchair into sea

It is a crime, and although there are mitigating circumstances, it is wrong to turn it around and call it proof of love. That doesn't mean he didn't also love her, and hadn't given a lot to her.

@Joe Blow Punishment should match the crime.

how about a bit of compassion?

@kaimycahl

@Padraig Bohannan ITOTALLY DISAGREE perhaps he had little or no help, but if you don't ask for help how does one no they have no help. After all he went to his sons house to tell him what he did after the fact! Also I will take you up on your wager!!!! You wrote they loved each other more than many would ever will HELLO if that is the case why didn't he tie a weight to himself when he pushed her over. It was a selfish act!!! If he loved her as MUCH AS YOU THINK HE DID he would also killed himself like most of the others we read about who committ lovers suicide. How can you call that not a "Evil Act" in fact it was a "SELFISH ACT"! There was no mutual love. If the love was mutual that would have meant they both ended their lives the same way and same day! The only thing that could be judge is what he did so I agree you can't judge him the authorities will. I will pray that her soul rest in peace but he has to deal with his selfish act of dumping his wife in the sea watching her sink only to be found floating by a fisherman to fish her out!! Selfish!!!

wow….have a coffee bud.

A nursing home is too expensive for older people to pay it monthly. Even their children I'm sure cannot help them to pay monthly.

But murder is murder no excuse for this crime.

@liali - "Why didn't the son help with the caregiving???"

one taking the burden and know how heavy it is, would not consider to burden the children.

another way of love.

felt so sad and sorry for both of them. taking care a person on wheel chair for 40 years, i can;t even imagine the difficulties. he must love her a lot, it is a sad ending for both.

"81-year-old man arrested for murder after pushing wife in wheelchair into sea"

40 YEARS of care for an invalid... I can't imagine ANYTHING proving beyond a doubt LOVE. I doubt that this man was psychopathic in considering various methods and the absolute DESPERATION of care and his own failing body drove him to sacrifice his love, and himself really, in the sea. There is NOTHING but deep sadness in this story.

But, an uncharacteristic number of humanistic comments here, along with the usual nonthinking reflexives shouting for the Guillotine, that shows a growing understanding of the calamity and desperation that senescence can be in an uncaring social structure. When such understanding grows into a serious political pressure on the ruling psychopaths to care for those who have previously carried the burden of the good fortune of those psychopaths, we MAY see change but it will take many more tragedies such as this before that might arise. And how many of these instances are withheld, or will be withheld, by the media? Sadness all around...

The amount of "killings" is astonishing, it's time to open the door for euthanasia wider and stop ignoring the problem.

Yeah, until the time comes that you are euthanized, then that's when most people get cold feet.

@Padraig Bohannan ITOTALLY DISAGREE perhaps he had little or no help, but if you don't ask for help how does one no they have no help. After all he went to his sons house to tell him what he did after the fact! Also I will take you up on your wager!!!! You wrote they loved each other more than many would ever will HELLO if that is the case why didn't he tie a weight to himself when he pushed her over. It was a selfish act!!! If he loved her as MUCH AS YOU THINK HE DID he would also killed himself like most of the others we read about who committ lovers suicide. How can you call that not a "Evil Act" in fact it was a "SELFISH ACT"! There was no mutual love. If the love was mutual that would have meant they both ended their lives the same way and same day! The only thing that could be judge is what he did so I agree you can't judge him the authorities will. I will pray that her soul rest in peace but he has to deal with his selfish act of dumping his wife in the sea watching her sink only to be found floating by a fisherman to fish her out!! Selfish!!!

81 and he's taking care of his 79-year-old wife. Probably with little to no help.

I'll wager they loved each other more than many ever will. I don't think this was an evil act. More likely out of mutual love but still, a very difficult thing to agree to for both of them.

I won't judge them. I just pray I'll never be put in that position.

RIP lady.

It is indicative of the situation that elderly persons face in the country. As many of them don’t have help, they end up looking after their loved ones who are also elderly.

The only thing I'd like to know is did she ask him to do it. If not, and he was just "worn out" as understandable as that may be, it's murder and he should be charged to the maximum degree.

Hey, I have a great idea. Why not stop paying for multi-million dollar funerals for PMs, two hunded thousand dollar Toyota Centuries, trillions on military hardware and start funding for the care of THE PEOPLE who make up this country.

That's too logical a concept for Japan.

YUP!!!

@Padraig Bohannan

Maybe. Maybe not. We just don't know. But I tend to try and put a positive spin on stories that are ambiguous (as many are here to provoke debate) for my own mental well-being.

peace:)

Thank you. I appreciate your positivity, and did not mean to call you out personally. I just have a fear of drowning, and personally have spoken with people who nearly drowned; and for many people, those moments can feel like an eternity. Yes, these articles are often very vague and ambiguous, but in this case I can't help but think that there would have been a better way to end a life (whether mutually agreed upon or not).

It's so sad. It's beyond my belief. How an old 81 grandpa has still thought of the sadistic killing of his wife? Anyway, this is another note of Japanese that's hard to believe for me.

Please people need help with the rapidly ageing population but it appears that people just do not or cannot ask for help in this country-it’s a horrendous situation!

> IchigoToday  09:19 am JST

More likely out of mutual love but still, a very difficult thing to agree to for both of them.

It might seem like a quick end to you, but to the handicapped person drowning it must have been a long and terrifying way to die. Until we know that the wife actually requested this specifically, I assume that the husband was completely in the wrong and "love" was not a factor.

BlacklabelToday  11:29 am JST

I simply hope that this was a merciful act not an evil one.

Agreed, Ichigo. Murder is still murder, and to go like that... And Blacklabel, I do not see how this could be considered a merciful act. Nor a "mercy killing". Someone who is confined to a wheelchair who has no hope of being able to even attempt to swim or save themselves, being left to drown by someone they love? One of the worst deaths in the world. I see no mercy here. Just complete sadness and a deep failing in humanity's moral compass.

And I don't care how many people are willing to justify this man's actions, because murder is never the answer. There are so many people worldwide who are forced to be (unpaid) caregivers to aging family members. They have enough compassion and sense to understand right from wrong. Getting "tired of it" is no excuse to murder someone who is forced to depend on you, who has no choice but to be left in your power. Shame on anyone defending this. I hope he rots in jail and that the deceased rests in peace now after that horrible way to go.

Why didn't the son help with the caregiving???

I simply hope that this was a merciful act not an evil one.

The LDP will likely do the reverse and raise taxes to buy more weapons etc. at the urging of the US as they have successfully worked together under the Abe administration to poison relations with Japan's neighbors.

Punishment should match the crime.

Hey, I have a great idea. Why not stop paying for multi-million dollar funerals for PMs, two hunded thousand dollar Toyota Centuries, trillions on military hardware and start funding for the care of THE PEOPLE who make up this country.

That's too logical a concept for Japan. I honestly wonder how many of these cases need to crop up before the government actually steps up and does something because more and more of these stories seem to be popping up in the news. It's so sad that the husband resorted to such measures; it screams of a desperation and hopelessness in a situation where they both had their backs to the wall. Condolences to the family.

@Ichigo

Maybe. Maybe not. We just don't know. But I tend to try and put a positive spin on stories that are ambiguous (as many are here to provoke debate) for my own mental well-being.

peace:)

More likely out of mutual love but still, a very difficult thing to agree to for both of them.

It might seem like a quick end to you, but to the handicapped person drowning it must have been a long and terrifying way to die. Until we know that the wife actually requested this specifically, I assume that the husband was completely in the wrong and "love" was not a factor.

Nice one Speed.

Hey, I have a great idea. Why not stop paying for multi-million dollar funerals for PMs, two hunded thousand dollar Toyota Centuries, trillions on military hardware and start funding for the care of THE PEOPLE who make up this country.

81 and he's taking care of his 79-year-old wife. Probably with little to no help.

I'll wager they loved each other more than many ever will. I don't think this was an evil act. More likely out of mutual love but still, a very difficult thing to agree to for both of them.

I won't judge them. I just pray I'll never be put in that position.

RIP lady.

The amount of "killings" is astonishing, it's time to open the door for euthanasia wider and stop ignoring the problem.

Euthanasia has to be voluntary. There is no suggestion in the article that his wife wanted to die.

Abe pushed for families to be the care giver, but being the rich boy he had no idea what that entailed. His legacy continues today.

How sad, after all these years the man has given up and decided to end His life as well as his partner. This is NOT easy for many to understands unless you been there.

obladi

that's not very nice

I do appreciate understatement.

The poor guy must be at the end of his tether, I thought that there was some social/local council help for these people that asked for help. may be he was to proud to ask for help.

I do not condone what he did however being a caregiver is extremely difficult and grueling. Anyone who could assist in this situation (eg agencies) try and get every bit of money out of you. Caregivers are often in a difficult situation because in many instances any one who could assist often tries to take advantage.

These poor people are left on their own, taking care of their ailing partners, while the government completely ignores this problem. The amount of "killings" is astonishing, it's time to open the door for euthanasia wider and stop ignoring the problem.

that's not very nice