As Japan grapples with its demographic crisis, many elderly citizens are turning to prison as a means of survival. With poverty rates among seniors soaring, some individuals are resorting to shoplifting in hopes of securing a place behind bars, where they can access basic necessities like food and medical care.

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 ...