The legal guardianship system in Japan for adults troubled with extreme old age, dementia or handicaps in now in its tenth year, but there still seems to be an imperfect understanding of the role that guardians should play; that is, to safeguard the interests and assets of the persons receiving care. In many cases, relatives who have been appointed guardians have been arrested for embezzling assets, whether intentionally or by mistake. “Some people think becoming a guardian entitles them to use their clients’ assets,” a lawyer said. From 37 such cases in 2000 the number rose to 257 in 2008. The Daily Yomiuri reported on May 23, 2010 that this may be due to a flaw in the system, in that the family courts that appoint guardians select untrained persons who have no understanding of their duties or skills with which to exercise them. Such appointments are often prompted by government officials, which may be good or bad in specific cases. In any event, it suggests a reason for adults to have in place a Health Care Power Of Attorney in which they specify who will care for them if they cannot, rather than leave it to a court to appoint someone they do not know.