Man in Japan allegedly kills 92-year-old mum at her request, faces murder charge

Man in Japan charged with murder of mum said she asked him to end her suffering

A 61-year-old Japanese man said he was faced with a tough decision when his ailing 92-year-old mum begged him to end her suffering.

According to Nippon TV News, the defendant told the court that his mother had asked him to kill her.

On Thursday (12 Dec), Mr Maehara Hidekuni recounted the conversation he had with his mum that led to the murder.

“I wish my mother’s life didn’t have to end in this manner,” he said.

Man says he was faced with a tough decision

Mr Maehara faces a murder charge after strangling his 92-year-old mother with rope at their home in 2022.

The elderly woman had become bedridden after suffering a stroke approximately three years prior. To care for his sick mum, Mr Maehara quit his job and became her full-time caregiver.

But in August 2022, his mother begged Mr Maehara to end her life. “I’m in pain, so please put me out of my misery. Please kill me,” she told him.

“We’ll go to heaven together,” he responded. She thanked him with what little voice she had left, he told the court.

Three days later, the man strangled his mother with a rope before trying to overdose on sleeping pills.

A domestic helper discovered the scene the following morning on 29 Aug and the unconscious Mr Maehara was quickly conveyed to the hospital.

Prosecution said the man had tried to escape his debts

The prosecution disputed Mr Maehara’s claims that his mother had asked him to end her suffering.

They said he had tried to “commit double suicide” because he could not pay back his debts.

When questioned by police in 2022, Mr Maehara admitted that he could no longer pay the medical fees his mother required.

The pair had been living off the 92-year-old woman’s pension but the fees had become too much to bear.

The prosecution asked Mr Maehara if there was a connection between his financial woes and the murder. He said there was none.

Mr Maehara also expressed regret at his course of action. “I would never want to kill someone,” he said. He also added that if he could go back to before the murder, he’d like to change what he did.

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Featured image adapted from Kapok Aging and Caregiver Resources for illustration purposes only.