Unreported World Season 2026 Episode 2 - Japan's Shoplifting Pensioners

Airdate: 2026-Apr-17

Episode summary:

Japan is often portrayed as a modern utopia, but beneath its polished exterior, one of the world's oldest populations is reaching a breaking point. As traditional multi-generational families break down, millions of elderly people are being left in isolation and poverty - with many turning to petty theft to survive. As Japanese prisons become retirement homes for a growing number of elderly convicts, Krishnan Guru-Murthy investigates this geriatric crime wave gripping the country.

About Unreported World series:

Unreported World is a foreign affairs programme produced by Quicksilver Media Productions and broadcast by Channel 4 in the United Kingdom. Over th...Show more >