82-year-old Japanese man who killed paralyzed wife gets 3-year prison sentence

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An 82-year-old Japanese man has been sentenced to three years in prison after admitting to the murder of his partially paralyzed wife.

Tragic incident: Hiroshi Fujiwara confessed to pushing his wheelchair-confined wife Teruko, 79, into the ocean off of Oiso port in Kanagawa prefecture on Nov. 2, 2022, resulting in her drowning.

According to authorities, Fujiwara brought Teruko to Oiso port by car under the pretense of taking her out for a walk before pushing her into the sea at around 5:30 p.m. A fisherman who later discovered Teruko’s body floating in the water reported it to a local government official.

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Admitting to the crime: Fujiwara, who was arrested a day after the incident, told investigators that he had grown tired of taking care of his partially paralyzed wife.

Hiroshi had been caring for his wife after a cerebral infarction in 1982 resulted in her losing the ability to move her legs. When relatives suggested moving her into a senior citizen facility, Hiroshi claimed he was overwhelmed by the idea of being separated from his wife.

During the trial, defense lawyers argued that Hiroshi's reluctance to seek help from others was due to his strong sense of personal responsibility and pride.

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They requested leniency on these grounds, implying that Hiroshi's actions were driven by desperation.

Court’s ruling: The Yokohama District Court emphasized in its ruling that Teruko told relatives that she wanted to enter the senior care facility, but Hiroshi disregarded her wishes entirely.

Presiding Judge Noburo Kiyama of the court's Odawara branch sentenced Fujiwara on July 18, expressing deep concern over the gravity of the crime.

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“The wife did nothing wrong, so her feeling of despair and chagrin at being pushed into the ocean by her husband who she trusted is unfathomable,” Kiyama said in his ruling.

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