Why Japan’s elderly keep going back to prison

Synopsis: Every first Friday of the month, The Straits Times catches up with its foreign correspondents about life and trends in the countries they’re based in.Japan’s prisons are increasingly housing a growing number of elderly inmates, many of whom are repeat offenders convicted of minor crimes. Why would anyone choose prison over freedom?In this episode, host Li Xueying speaks with Japan correspondent Walter Sim as he takes the audience inside Tochigi Prison, Japan’s largest women’s correctional facility, where an unexpected trend is raising difficult questions about the country’s rapidly ageing society.Some elderly women are repeatedly committing minor offences, but the reasons behind their actions may not be what you expect. Their stories reveal deeper challenges facing Japan, from loneliness and shrinking family support networks to rising care costs and an ageing population.What happens when prison becomes part of a country’s social safety net?Highlights (click/tap above):0:42 Japan’s demographic challenges and prison population trends2:23 Social dynamics within Tochigi’s prison4:18 The paradox of prisons feeling like nursing homes8:12 Broken social safety nets and the rise of “kodokushi”10:31 The structural gaps in healthcare and caregivers12:43 Japan’s policy reforms towards rehabilitation15:10 Implications of declining crime rates and prison closuresRead Walter Sim’s article here:https://str.sg/kfTG Read Li Xueying’s articles: https://str.sg/iqmR Follow Li Xueying on LinkedIn: https://str.sg/ip4x Sign up for ST’s weekly Asian Insider newsletter: https://str.sg/sfpz Host: Li Xueying (xueying@sph.com.sg)Edited by: Natasha LiewExecutive producer: Ernest LuisFollow Asian Insider on Fridays here:Channel: https://str.sg/JWa7Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/JWa8Spotify: https://str.sg/JWaXFeedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg ---Follow more ST podcast channels:All-in-one ST Podcasts channel: https://str.sg/wvz7Get more updates: http://str.sg/stpodcasts Asian Insider YouTube: https://str.sg/rF3qR ---Get The Straits Times app, which has a dedicated podcast player section:The App Store: https://str.sg/icyBGoogle Play: https://str.sg/icyX