Japanese man, 81, arrested for allegedly pushing disabled wife into sea
- An octogenarian in eastern Japan pushed his wheelchair-bound wife into the sea after he grew tired of taking care of her for 40 years
- Netizens have accused the government of ignoring elder abuse in a rapidly ageing Japan and recommended euthanasia to relieve the suffering of terminally ill adults
Police in Oiso, Kanagawa prefecture, said on Thursday that Hiroshi Fujiwara, 81, admitted to the charges, saying he had grown tired of taking care of his disabled spouse for 40 years.
Officers said the incident happened on Wednesday at a pier in Oiso after Fujiwara drove Teruko, 79, to the spot and put the woman in her wheelchair. He then pushed her along for a few minutes before tipping it into the water.
Fujiwara later went to his eldest son’s home and confessed to the act, Japan Today reported. The son called the police, saying “my dad says he pushed mum into the sea”.
The Mainichi newspaper reported a fisher also contacted the police emergency hotline after seeing a body floating in the water. The victim was taken to hospital, where she was pronounced dead.
Online commentators accused the government of ignoring the issue of elder abuse in the rapidly ageing country and recommended euthanasia to relieve the suffering of terminally ill adults.