Police in Iwaki, Fukushima Prefecture, have arrested a 59-year-old unemployed man on suspicion of killing his mother, who was in her 80s, with a bamboo sword at their home.
Police said Kimihiko Watanabe hit his mother repeatedly on the back with the sword and slapped her cheek multiple times at around 6 a.m. on Tuesday, Sankei Shimbun reported. Watanabe called 110 on Tuesday night. When police arrived, Watanabe’s mother was already dead.
Police believe Watanabe repeatedly abused his mother.
© Japan Today
20 Comments
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P. Smith
Tragic and repugnant.
Beating someone to death with a bamboo sword, even an elderly person, requires a drive and disregard for human life that is similarly needed to strangle someone.
Kumagaijin
I'm guessing the "bamboo sword" was a shinai, the kind used in Kendo. Not that it matters, but just to be accurate.
Monozuki
I would speculate that he had not capacity to pay elder care giving costs, and suffered from care-giving fatigue. May the mother's soul rest in peace.
Kentarogaijin
Could be a kendo shinai
Bamboo sword - Shinai
Wooden sword - Bokken
stormcrow
These kinds of stories pop up all of the time.
Why can't these angry sons wait just a little longer for their elderly parents to die of natural causes?
John Beara
This could be another 20 years if she was healthy.
Victoria Maude
Is it really necessary to "speculate" when there is zero excuse for abusing anyone else? The article clearly states that this was a repeating thing. Even if those were his "reasons", they're inexcusable and don't diminish the abuse this woman suffered at the hands of her son.
Mickelicious
Another hero.
robert maes
2 things,
is the speculation on what kind of instrument used, to beat an old woman to death really relevant here ? I understand it is for the police investigation but why are posters here preoccupied with that. One even states “ to be accurate” Accurate? You have no clue of what item was used. It is misplaced speculation, not accuracy.
The police suspect he had been abusing his mother regularly?
that could warrant some clarification
sir_bentley28
At what age in your life does one forget that your mother took GREAT care of you (as did your father and grandparents), she carried you in her stomach for 9 months, put you before herself in many critical financial decisions, made sure you had food in your stomach, loved you and in some cases world give her life for you?
At what age do you repeatedly abuse your mother? My eyes are welled up with tears now! I can never do this to my mother. I'm not a momma's boy (she had 7 kids) and she is our Queen and we all respect her because we've all seen and know of the sacrifices she had been through for all of her kids.
For this person, may he rot with the fleeting memory of what he did!
commanteer
Many people are horribly treated by their parents. Your experience is yours, and not something you can assume others had.
I am not speculating on this case because, like you, I don't know anything about it. We have no idea what made the murderer the person he is today.
Paul
Bad seed...
Pukey2
Absolutely sick. Every night, I see and hear a grown up man walk home with his elderly mother who looks as if she's in her 80s and moving very slowly. Always shouting and moaning at her, and not helping her with carrying the shopping. I can just imagine him being abusive towards his mother.
Ashley Shiba
If you see this often follow them to their home and video tape what you are seeing and go to the police and the local ward office.
Realization
Most unfortunate son.
Should get Death penalty not to waste tax money for life sentenced or else.
LandOfTheLost
Which Watanabe, Mr. Or Ms. Watanabe?
ReynardFox
What is it with people on this site and abuse apologia? We see it in articles about a parent murdering their child with comments like ‘maybe they were just worn out from caring for the child’. Now we have ‘he had care-giver fatigue’. So are we supposed to give him a pass for bludgeoning a person to death because he might have been tired?
Random
There’s nothing in the story to even say he was a caregiver. My parents and grandparents were very active in their 80s. Could be that Junior was just a complete loser in life, hence being unemployed and prone to violent outbursts.
kaimycahl
He doesn’t remember he was drunk!
Darren Ward
Poor lady........
R.I.P