In August, a 79-year-old woman went on a slashing spree in Tokyo's bustling shopping and entertainment district of Shibuya, wounding two female passersby before being arrested by police.
The attacker reportedly said she was homeless, had no money and thought if she committed a crime the police would care for her.
Crimes committed by the elderly are on the rise. From petty theft to murder, the number of senior citizens arrested by police has surged alarmingly in the last decade. Experts say this results both from Japan's swelling aging population and from deteriorating community ties, which have led to an insufficient support system for the aged.
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