A 48-year-old man has been arrested after allegedly stabbing his elderly mother to death inside their home in Japan, just days after contacting police to ask who would care for her if he became too sick to do so himself.
The disturbing incident unfolded on October 5 in Takarazuka, a city in Japan’s Hyogo Prefecture, where Yohei Ogawa lived with his 74-year-old mother, Harumi Ogawa, who used a wheelchair because of mobility problems.
According to Japanese authorities, the attack occurred around 8:50 p.m., when Ogawa allegedly used a small kitchen knife to stab his mother multiple times in the neck and abdomen.
Despite her injuries, Harumi managed to call emergency services and identify her alleged attacker.
“My son stabbed me,” she reportedly told police.
When officers arrived, they found the elderly woman unconscious inside the home’s dining area. She was rushed to a nearby hospital, where she was pronounced dead.
Investigators also discovered that Ogawa had suffered a stab wound to his own abdomen, raising suspicions that he may have intended to take his life after killing his mother.
He was initially detained at the scene but required hospitalization for his injuries. Police formally arrested him on suspicion of murder Friday, October 9, after he recovered sufficiently to leave the hospital.
During questioning, Ogawa reportedly admitted to the attack.
“I stabbed her several times with the intent to kill,” he allegedly told investigators.
However, one detail uncovered during the investigation has made the tragedy even more troubling.
Just three days before the killing, on October 2, Ogawa had contacted police to express concerns about his mother’s care.
He explained that she had difficulty walking and depended on a wheelchair, while he sometimes experienced health problems himself.
According to Japanese news outlet MBS, Ogawa asked authorities whether his mother could receive protective care if he became ill enough to require hospitalization.
“My mother has mobility issues and uses a wheelchair. If I were to be hospitalized due to illness, could she be taken into protective care?” he reportedly asked.
Police confirmed receiving the earlier inquiry and speaking with him about his concerns.
Ogawa, who was employed as a company worker, had reportedly been serving as his mother’s caregiver while the two lived together.
Investigators are now examining whether his concerns about her care were connected to the fatal attack.
Japanese authorities are also considering the possibility that the incident was an attempted murder-suicide, although they have not established a definitive motive.
The case has drawn attention to the challenges faced by families providing long-term care for elderly relatives, particularly when the primary caregiver experiences health difficulties of their own.
Japan has one of the world’s oldest populations, placing increasing demands on families and its long-term care system. The country provides publicly supported long-term care insurance for eligible residents, but access to services and the level of assistance available can vary according to individual needs.
Authorities have not disclosed whether Ogawa or his mother had previously applied for additional caregiving assistance.
As the investigation continues, police are working to establish exactly what happened inside the family’s home and whether there were warning signs before the deadly confrontation.
