TOKYO: At least 400 elderly people in Japan were murdered by relatives, died through their neglect or in joint suicides over the past decade, according to a report today in the rapidly-aging country.

The number of such deaths has been on the rise, exceeding 50 in each of the past three years compared with 32 in 2000, said the Tokyo Shimbun newspaper, which based its count mainly on media reports.

Three quarters of those who fatally harmed seniors in their families were men, mostly the husbands and sons of the victims, while more than 70 percent of those who died were women, the newspaper reported.

It blamed the trend on care-givers buckling under the pressure of having to nurse the elderly while also facing economic difficulties.

Of the 400 cases, 59 per cent were murders, including some killings carried out at the request of the victims, it said.

Double suicides accounted for 24 per cent, while injuries led to death in 11 percent of cases, and neglect was identified as the cause in four per cent of the deaths.

Japan, with a high life expectancy and a low birth rate, has one of the world's oldest populations. Many young people have put off starting a family because of the burden on their lifestyles and careers.

Among women, who live longer than men, more than a quarter are aged 65 or older according to a government survey published in September.