Man arrested after allegedly killing 100-year-old mother in Tokyo

JAPAN: A 79-year-old man in western Tokyo was arrested on Tuesday (25 Nov) for allegedly killing his 100-year-old mother, saying he was exhausted from caring for her.

Police said the suspect, identified as Masato Watabe, allegedly covered his mother’s mouth and carried out other acts of violence at their home in Machida at around 1 p.m.

He made an emergency call at about 2.10 p.m., and the woman was taken to hospital, where she was later pronounced dead.

According to police, Masato admitted to the allegation. As the pair had been living together in Machida, Tokyo, investigators are examining the circumstances leading up to the incident.

The case comes amid growing concern over Japan’s demographic challenges. The country’s declining birthrate and rapidly ageing population have resulted in more elderly individuals shouldering the responsibility of caring for even older relatives, creating mounting social pressures.

According to Japan’s Internal Affairs Ministry announcement in September 2025, the estimated number of people aged 65 and above stands at 36.19 million, despite a decrease of 50,000 from the previous year.

While this marks the first decline in two years, the age group now accounts for a record 29.4% of the national population, up 0.1 percentage point.

The ministry noted that the reduction is largely due to deaths among those aged 65 or older outnumbering the number of people newly reaching that age.

A 2023 Comprehensive Survey of Living Conditions by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare found that in 63.5% of households where someone aged 65 or above requires care, the caregiver is also at least 65 years old.

In 35.7% of these households, both the caregiver and recipient are aged 75 or older — the highest proportion ever recorded.

With all members of Japan’s baby-boom generation (born between 1947 and 1949) turning 75 or older by 2025, the proportion of elderly caregivers is expected to continue rising.