Elderly Crime on the Rise: 86-Year-Old Arrested for Hospital Shooting and Hostage Situation
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86-year-old Japanese man arrested for hostage situation using a firearm
The aging population crisis is deepening, leading to an increase in elderly crime
Source photo / PintoArt, imtmphoto-shutterstock.com
Recently, an 86-year-old suspect was arrested by the police after firing shots at a general hospital in Saitama Prefecture, Japan, and then staging a hostage drama at a nearby post office. The suspect confessed to committing the crime out of dissatisfaction with the follow-up response after a collision with a post office delivery motorcycle. Japan, already a ‘super-aged society’, has various policies in place for the elderly. We take a look at Japan’s aging response policy and the situation in Korea.
■ Japan, with a population ratio of 65 and over at 29.3%
As of last year, Japan recorded a 29.3% population ratio for those aged 65 and over. Furthermore, the population over 75 accounted for 15.7%. It is predicted that by 2040, Japan’s elderly population will account for 35.3% of those aged 65 and over and 20.2% of those aged 75 and over. Professor Yamada Masahiro of the Faculty of Literature at Jōō University stated that the Japanese government’s low birth rate countermeasures have been a significant failure, advising, “Korea must solve the low birth rate problem.”
■ Continuous increase in crimes committed by those over 60 in Korea
According to data released by the Statistics Office and the Police Agency in April, as of July last year, the population aged 65 and over in Korea was 9,018,000. The elderly population has now reached 9 million. The number of criminals aged 61 and over is increasing annually. Elderly criminals increased by nearly 90,000, accounting for 15.8% of the total ratio. More worryingly, the rate of ‘sexual offenses,’ which constitute serious crimes, is also on the rise.
■ Japan’s approach to the elderly problem as the ‘oldest country in the world’
By 2025, Japan is expected to have an elderly population ratio exceeding 20% of the total population. Japan, which entered the super-aged society in 2006, has been sparing no support for the elderly welfare sector since the Next-Generation Healthcare System Construction was selected as a government-critical task in 2017. As part of the elderly health care measures, the Japanese government provides services such as health check-ups, functional training, and visiting nursing. Furthermore, they respond nationally by utilizing home elderly welfare services to prevent crimes and accidents, dispatching domestic service workers, and operating short-term protection facilities.
■ Korea is facing an era of low birth rate and aging… A national response to the population crisis is needed
Professor Yamada Masahiro emphasized, “If we don’t act now, the speed of Korea’s aging will surpass Japan,” and “Now is the golden time to solve Korea’s low birth rate problem.” The Japanese Ministry of Health, Labor, and Welfare, which is already experiencing side effects such as elderly crime as it enters an aging society, is conducting a campaign to reduce generational conflicts by encouraging the elderly to have an open mind to learn about the changing world and young people to foster a caring heart for the elderly. Professor Yamada said, “Unlike Japan, the ratio of the elderly population in Korea is still around 10%,” and expressed hope that “if done well, a reversal can be made.”
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