Fukuoka police arrested a 50-year-old man Thursday who allegedly tried to murder his mother by pouring kerosene on her and setting her on fire, police said.
The victim, 77, sustained serious burns and fell into a coma, investigators said. The fire, which occurred Tuesday, also burned part of the house.
"I didn't intend to kill," Shigeru Ihara told police after his arrest. But he admitted having set fire to his mother, they said. They suspect that Ihara decided to harm his mother after fighting with her.
According to investigators, Ihara became angry after she called his construction firm to inquire about his attitude, as he had stopped going to work over the past few months.