Care crisis or crime? Japanese news framing of caregiver eldercide, 2000–2024

Media discourse plays a critical role in shaping how crime is understood, influencing both public sentiment and policy debates. In Japan, where population ageing is rapid and family-based care remains culturally valued, eldercide by family caregivers receives considerable media attention. Yet, little is known about how the press frames such incidents. Drawing on qualitative document analysis of 48 articles published between 2000 and 2024 in a leading national newspaper, this study examines a dominant framing that situates eldercide within a caregiving crisis. The findings reveal a consistent narrative that humanises perpetrators, emphasises mental health strain and gendered caregiving roles, and downplays criminal intent. Such portrayals can shift public attention from individual culpability towards collective responsibility and reflect cultural tensions in Japan’s long-term care regime. The findings contribute to criminological research on media framing of domestic homicide and illuminate the media’s role in shaping societal responses to ageing and care.