In Japan, elderly people prefer going to jail; they repeatedly commit crimes. This is the shocking reason.

There are very few people without hobbies. The list goes on, from painting to stamp and coin collection. But here is an 81-year-old woman with a bizarre hobby—committing crimes repeatedly just to go to jail.

Akiko, an 81-year-old woman from Japan, keeps committing crimes so that she can go to jail. She first committed a crime at the age of 60 when she was caught stealing food. However, she later started committing crimes solely to end up in prison.

Akiko made this decision after struggling to survive on a meager pension and being abandoned by her son. She used to live with her 43-year-old son, but after he left her, she started experiencing loneliness and despair. Feeling that her life had no meaning, she even wished to die. Akiko’s extraordinary story went viral on Chinese social media, drawing attention and sparking discussions about such situations.

Her story reveals that many elderly people in Japan prefer going to jail. This desire stems from the lack of social and financial support, loneliness, and absence of care in their old age. A 2022 report from the Japanese government highlighted that over 80% of elderly female prisoners in the country were convicted of theft. Moreover, the report stated that in the past 20 years (since 2003), the number of female prisoners aged 65 and above has quadrupled.

Many elderly prisoners believe that dying in jail is better than dying alone outside without loved ones. Prison authorities have even reported that some elderly individuals are willing to pay between 20,000 and 30,000 yen per month to stay in jail.