87-year-old man gets 8 years in prison for killing 81-year-old wife

What a weak man.

What weak social services after all the tax you paid through your working life.

They were let down by the state.

A senseless decision by a senseless judge. At his age, the old man won’t last out his sentence. Does the presiding judge expect the prison to turn into a nursing home for old people?

The whole thing is a terribly sad situation. Makes you wonder if there was something that could have been done to avoid it, a system that would allow paying attention to see if there were signals that things were going in the wrong direction.

A senseless decision by a senseless judge. At his age, the old man won’t last out his sentence. Does the presiding judge expect the prison to turn into a nursing home for old people?

So you are suggesting spouses should be allowed to murder their spouse with no punishment when they are having various issues, such as leg disabilities? Most elderly people have various health problems.

Not entirely sure that's the road society should go down.

RIP to the poor old woman.

I'd have to disagree with the reasoning of this man. Many have to overcome much greater struggles than this to take care of a loved one.

A walking disability is much easier to handle than a mental plus physical one. If he didn't know how to make rice, he should have used this opportunity to learn how. If he had better mental attitude, he should have learned many new things about housework, which this poor woman, I'm sure, did for him for 50 years.

Taking care of his wife who couldn't move around very well should have been a chance for him to learn new things and perhaps open up a new phase in his life.

virusrexToday  08:32 am JST

The whole thing is a terribly sad situation. Makes you wonder if there was something that could have been done to avoid it, a system that would allow paying attention to see if there were signals that things were going in the wrong direction.

Yes there is something that could be done. The government stops wasting money on new weapons and actually takes care of its own.

Eight years for killing someone? Why not the death penalty or at least life in prison?

Also, how many 87-year-old Japanese have never cooked rice in their life??

@speed

. If he had better mental attitude

I agree completely. But have you met many older Japanese men? Their thinking abilities tend to fairly inflexible.

This guy is a selfish old man. I assume that his wife made all his meals and did the house cleaning for him for the past 50 years while he pottered away at work and this is how he repays the favour.

Eight years for killing someone? Why not the death penalty or at least life in prison?

Japan does not hand out a death penalty sentence when only 1 person is murdered, it has to be a more heinous crime. 8 years could very well be "life" in prison.

Also, how many 87-year-old Japanese have never cooked rice in their life??

What does it matter to you? If you know anything about the lives of many Japanese men, particularly his age, this shouldnt surprise anyone.

Japan does not hand out a death penalty sentence when only 1 person is murdered

Thats untrue. Japan does hand out the death penalty to killers of a single victim. Extremely unlikely however in a situation like this with (arguably) mitigating circumstances.

15 single-victim killers have been executed in Japan since 1993.

All of you really need to take a step back and think about the era the man grew up in where the man went to work, and the wife took care of the home and children. In addition, the man is nearly 90 years old what health and physical conditions was he suffering, and on top of his age and his own possible health conditions he is expected to take care of his ailing wife.

The government needs to reflect on their policies regarding the aging and their needs.

Regarding this man's wife I hope she is resting in peace, and for this very, very elderly man I hope he will hold up ok behind bars.

The couple had been married for more than 50 years.

Wife been taking care of him all this time. Too much for him to be suddenly the one taking care of her in his old age.

Kyoko had a leg disability and had been unable to walk for about a year. Yoshida told the court that he was worn out from looking after her.

Always surprised by the number of people who will jump to defend a murderer. Yes, the man himself was elderly, and the situation this couple found themselves in was absolutely unfair. They should have been provided far more help by the government. With that said, there is no excuse for murdering your partner because you can't be bothered to take care of them anymore. Is that 'love' to you? How many elderly women continue to care for their disabled husbands, after spending their youth caring for them? No. If this man didn't want to care for his beloved any longer, he should have done what any sane, loving partner would have done, and gone to the lengths necessary to get help for himself and his partner. Murdering her because he didn't want to care for her anymore? That's despicable and inhumane, and he deserves to spend his last years in jail. At least he'll get the care in there that he refused his poor wife. May she rest in peace.

Always surprised by the number of people who will jump to defend a murderer.

I'm always surprised by the number of people without empathy! My 57 year old wife and I, same age, are the sole caretakers of my wife's 88 year old mother who suffers from Alzheimer for the last 3 years before my wife's father passed away, who suffered from dementia. I worry my wife, who works full time from home, will at any time take her own life cause she just can't take it anymore! I quit my job so that I can help out as it is a round the clock task. She cannot do much of anything on her own, can fortunately go to the restroom by herself and can put food into her mouth but that is about it. She can't be left alone for a minute or she might burn the house down. Lets not even get into what this has done for my wife and I's personal relationship as there is none. It's like taking care of a two year old, unfortunately digressing over time! So before you pass judgement on this poor man and his wife, I ask you, have you walked a mile in his shoes?

David Fair, I am so sorry to hear of your wife's and your struggles dealing with your elderly mother-in-law. I have another friend whose mother also has dementia; however, she seems a more functional person at the moment.

Just some information, it may or may not help your mother-in-law is coconut oil. Go on You Tube and look up a doctor whose husband has dementia, and during the pandemic found that coconut oil can help aide (not a cure) with dementia.

For others, I don't condone murder, however, in certain cases such as this empathy and extreme circumstances need consideration.

Very tragic. There has to be some govt assistance here. So sorry to hear about your situation, Dave. Have you been to your ward office to discuss any possible help that might be available? A woman in my building suffers from dementia and she has some group that she attends several times a week. They come and pick her up. It’s good for her and I’m sure it’s good for her husband as it gives him a break. Please take care of your mental wellbeing as much as possible

stickman1760Today 01:35 pm JST

Have you been to your ward office to discuss any possible help that might be available?

Unfortunately, my mother-in-law's official residence is in Tokyo and for the tremendous amount of paperwork and healthcare considerations (which are numerous) we decided not to transfer her residence to our home in Saitama. We checked with our local government but were told she cannot receive any services here unless she is a resident. So, stuck in a Catch22

At least this 87 year old man will be treated better by the government in prison ironically than he and his wife were before this tragedy. The judge thinks that prison time is warranted but what he doesn't seem to realize is this man's actions will torment him every waking moment until his passing, no matter where his final days are.

David, it is unfortunate and or fortunate regarding the elderly the services are far greater than the outlining areas, because they don't have the same funding as the Tokyo Metropolitan Government. So, it is wise you are keeping your mother-in-law in Tokyo for that reason.

Yes, you are spot on regarding the elderly man in every aspect that his stay in prison he will be provided with a whole lot more care than he would on the outside. I agree too, he will suffer greatly of the passing of his wife, because after probably 50 plus years of marriage it could not have been a decision made lightly. Yes, she made had an injured leg, however, she must have had other ailments and where she may even have asked him to end her life.

tigerjaneToday 04:15 pm JST

agreed :(

Dave Fair, one would think the person without empathy here is the one who thought so little of his wife that he murdered her.

I do truly wish your family well. I’ve seen a lot of family members, elderly and not, deal with the care of other elderly family members, and I know how impossibly hard it can be. Murder is never the answer, however.

Another day, another family murder. Japan really needs to stop wasting money on things like record defense spending and use it to take care of people.