Caring to Death: Characteristics of Eldercide by Family Caregivers in Japan

Eldercide by family caregivers is an underexplored but growing concern in ageing societies. Japan, the most rapidly ageing country in the world, offers an important case for examining this phenomenon. Drawing on 204 cases reported in a major Japanese national newspaper between 2000 and 2024, this study employed a mixed-method content analysis to construct a foundational understanding of eldercide by family caregivers in Japan. Quantitative findings indicate that these cases predominantly involve female victims and male offenders, both typically aged 65 and over. Qualitative analysis uncovered recurring contextual factors, including caregiver burnout, economic hardship, elder abuse, and strained familial relationships. The findings suggest that caregiver eldercide represents a distinct form of domestic homicide shaped by demographic ageing, cultural caregiving expectations, and gaps in institutional support. This study advances homicide scholarship by conceptualizing caregiver eldercide as a unique subtype of family homicide and highlights implications for theory, research, and prevention in ageing societies worldwide.