When jail becomes home: Japan's elderly seek refuge behind bars

from Reporters · host FRANCE 24 English

Japan’s demographic crisis is playing out even behind bars. The number of elderly inmates has quadrupled over the past 20 years. Around a fifth of people over 65 live below the poverty line, struggling to make ends meet. Some go to extraordinary lengths to improve their circumstances, deliberately getting caught shoplifting in the hope of landing in prison. There, they can access a secure place to live, proper meals, and medical care – basic necessities often denied to them outside. A report by Ayana Nishikawa, Alexis Bregere and Justin McCurry.

Episode metadata supplied by the publisher feed · Published Apr 3, 2026

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