Japan's prisons in crisis as struggling pensioners turn to crime

The over 60s are the fastest-growing group of criminals in Japan, which incarcerates its pensioners at a rate far higher than any other country in the industrialised world. The number of Japanese aged 70 and over charged with crimes trebled between 2000 and 2006, from 9,478 to 28,892, according to the national police agency.

Last year elderly men and women were responsible for almost one in seven recorded crimes, compared with one in 25 a decade earlier. While most were guilty of theft, shoplifting and other petty offences, more than 150 were charged with murder.



For the first time, ageing criminals account for more than 12% of the total prison population, prompting the government to earmark 8.3bn yen (£39m) this year to build three new prison wards that will house more than 1,000 elderly inmates.

Almost all are serving sentences of one to several years for theft - usually of food from supermarkets - small-time fraud and, in a few cases, possession of drugs.

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