In eastern Japan, an octogenarian was jailed for reportedly murdering his crippled wife in a wheelchair. The Japanese man allegedly shoved his wife into the water, killing her, since he had become tired of caring for her for almost 40 years.
Hiroshi Fujiwara, 81, reportedly stated that he was “weary” of his wife, Teruko, 79, and confessed to shoving her over a pier. On Thursday, the 81-year-old man was detained for pushing his wife in a wheelchair into the water. Following the incident, he contacted his eldest son’s house and confessed to the murder, according to local media.
Not long after Fujiwara was arrested, a fisherman spotted Teruko’s body floating in the ocean and informed police. Shortly after Hiroshi Fujiwara confessed his act to his eldest son, the son phoned the local cops to alert them. The pair lived alone, and the man informed authorities that he had been caring for his wife for the last 40 years.
Netizens criticized the government for neglecting the rising problem of elder abuse in the country. Some even advocated euthanasia to alleviate the pain of terminally ill individuals. Some expressed sympathy for the individual whose duty as an elderly caregiver was likely not adequately supported by the state. “This was not bad conduct, in my opinion. More likely out of mutual love, but still a tough thing for both of them to agree on”According to a Facebook user.
“How sad. After all these years, the man has given up and decided to end his partner’s life. This is not easy for many to understand unless you’ve been there,” another user wrote. “Shame on anyone defending this. I hope he rots in jail and that the deceased rests in peace now after that horrible way to go.”
Individuals were mostly sympathetic to all caretakers who risk their life for the benefit of their loved ones “Caregivers to experience depression. There should be a channel for them to communicate their worries, as well as some form of therapy. And, absolutely, euthanasia should be thoroughly researched and executed, a Facebook user said.
