Why are elderly people in Japan deliberately committing crimes?

Among the elderly in Japan, minor crimes—specifically shoplifting—have become a serious social issue in society. Reports indicate that some lonely and financially struggling seniors are even choosing to deliberately commit minor crimes in order to go to prison.

There are several reasons behind this situation. For elderly individuals, prison provides food, a warm place, and medical care. Outside, however, some struggle to make ends meet on their pensions and cover the costs of housing and medical treatment. The fact that nearly 20 percent of the population over 65 in Japan lives on the poverty line also highlights the economic side of the problem.

Shoplifting is particularly widespread among elderly women. According to the 2024 crime report by Japan's Ministry of Justice, 95.9 percent of incarcerated female inmates over 60 committed crimes related specifically to shoplifting. In the same study, 37.4 percent of women over 60 cited problems related to living expenses as one of the reasons for their crime.

Another important cause of the problem is loneliness. Some elderly people live far from family members, and their social connections are increasingly dwindling. In prison, however, they have access to a daily routine, meals, medical supervision, and the opportunity to communicate with other people. Previous studies have also indicated that factors such as loneliness and the loss of purpose in life, alongside economic need, drove some elderly thieves to crime.

At the same time, it is not accurate to conclude that «elderly people in Japan are committing crimes en masse just to go to prison.» This situation is a problem observed in the case of some vulnerable segments of the population, behind which lie complex social issues such as old age, poverty, housing, and loneliness.