Woman arrested for smothering 74-year-old husband to death with pillow

Police quoted her as saying she got stressed out

I just read the title and knew this was the reason because this happens here far too often. You have the old and unprepared taking of the old and sick.

Constant naggiing is a form of psychological torture.  It's enough to drive anyone over the deep end.  As is the case here.  However I would have chosen to leave instead of murder.  But would have to agree with others as the situation of caring for loved ones without proper training and support can make someone feel completely helpless and isolated.  Especially within a society where access to help is very (or seems to be) limited.

S

Another spouse on spouse murder in Japan.

According to this study - http://same.lshtm.ac.uk/files/2016/02/The-global-prevalence-of-intimate-partner-homicide-What-is-the-scale.pdf - the rate of spouse-on-spouse murder in Japan is on a level with North America, Eastern Europe, Australia and India. Too high, but not a particularly Japanese phenomenon.

Too high, but not a particularly Japanese phenomenon.

And those who tend to make such claims no doubt have little interest in the underlying problems that lead to most of these deaths, here or elsewhere. The lack of support for caregivers principal among them. If you have money in Japan you can have all the home healthcare assistance you possibly want and/or parachute into 5-star roujin-houmu. Sadly, the overwhelming majority are left to fend for themselves. One can only hope such voices regularly seen here wind up being caregivers themselves someday.

Yikes - a high price to pay for being a nag.

it's murder

And those who tend to make such claims...

You mean the 'claim' that spouse-on-spouse murder is not a particularly Japanese phenomenon? That's not a 'claim', it's a fact backed up by the figures.

.... no doubt have little interest in the underlying problems that lead to most of these deaths, here or elsewhere. The lack of support for caregivers principal among them

And no doubt you had little interest in learning the truth: if you'd bothered to glance at even the synopsis at the head of the link I posted, you'd know that the main underlying cause of spouse-on-spouse murder worldwide is DV in one form or another.

In this particular instance, it was reportedly 'nagging' that pushed the wife over the edge. It could well be that the particular bout of nagging that led to the incident was exacerbated by physical and mental exhaustion of caregiving with little or no help. I wouldn't deny that. Nor would I deny that more needs to be done to help caregivers as the population ages; as time goes on, the problem will not go away, it will get bigger.

One can only hope such voices regularly seen here wind up being caregivers themselves someday.

You would wish infirmity on a person you have never met, have no knowledge of and no responsibility for (=my spouse) for the sake of making a point on a discussion board? I hope no one ends up finding themselves under your care.

How desperate does one become, when the idea of jail

is more bearable than the life you currently lead...

After reading reports of family murders every day and many callous cases of child abuse it is difficult to believe Japan is a safe as they like to claim.

How safe do 'they' claim it is? I've never heard anyone refer to Japan's safety as being absolute, but that is what you appear to be saying that 'they' are claiming it is.

Perhaps the streets are safer than other countries, but being home seems to be very far from safe.

No, it's actually very safe here as well. Remember, you're reading the news about 130 million people. Imagine everyone you know. Then add 130 million.

Well, cannot judge this woman because, I do hate also if someone non stop complaining. But killing nah, such a crime.

Till death (murder) do us part?

After reading reports of family murders every day and many callous cases of child abuse it is difficult to believe Japan is a safe as they like to claim. Perhaps the streets are safer than other countries, but being home seems to be very far from safe.

@ blue in green, you think she'll do time?

And no doubt you had little interest in learning the truth: if you'd bothered to glance at even the synopsis at the head of the link I posted, you'd know that the main underlying cause of spouse-on-spouse murder worldwide is DV in one form or another.

I just bothered to glance at it and it's obviously about all spouse-on-spouse murder as opposed to the specific topic under discussion here: stressed out caregivers, without proper support systems, who often carry out mercy killings or crimes of anguished desperation. Is DV a huge problem, sure, does it play a role in crimes such as this, sure. Obviously, there's no age limit for abuse. But that particular article does little to prove that most of these incidents are a result of DV. Complaints and stress from constantly caring for someone, which is all we know at this pt. is not DV.