Man's body wrapped in futon found in Otaru house; police investigate corpse abandonment
In short
Police found the badly decomposed body of an unidentified man in a house in Miharashicho (見晴町), Otaru, Hokkaido, on October 7 after a person connected with the household called 110 saying they could not reach the family. The body was wrapped in what appeared to be a futon and was not in a bedroom, and police are investigating on suspicion of corpse abandonment. TBS NEWS DIG reported the man had been dead for at least a month, while Nippon TV News reported several months.
Read the full story 2 min read
Police in Hokkaido are investigating on suspicion of corpse abandonment after the body of an unidentified man was found in a house in Miharashicho (見晴町), Otaru, on October 7. According to investigative sources cited by Sankei Shimbun, the body was wrapped in what appeared to be a futon and was decomposing. Livedoor News and TBS NEWS DIG reported that it was found somewhere other than a bedroom. A Nippon TV News headline said it was found in a basement storage room. [ 4 , 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 ]
The case came to light shortly after 11:00 that morning, when a person connected with the household called the 110 emergency number to say they could not get in touch with the family. TBS NEWS DIG put the call at about 11:14, and Sankei Shimbun at about 11:15. Police officers who went to the house found the body inside. TBS NEWS DIG reported that firefighters also attended. One TBS NEWS DIG summary said the body was found shortly after 14:00. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 6 ]
The body was badly decomposed and the man's age could not be determined, according to police. TBS NEWS DIG reported that he had been dead for at least a month, while a Nippon TV News headline said several months and that the cause of death is undetermined. Hokkaido police told Sankei Shimbun there were no visible external injuries. Police had not said in which room the body was found or whether it was clothed, TBS NEWS DIG reported in its first account. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 9 ]
Nippon TV News and Sankei Shimbun reported that the head of the household was in a facility when the body was found, and Nippon TV News said he was unhurt. Sankei Shimbun said police are checking whether anyone else lived in the house. TBS NEWS DIG reported information that a man in his 70s and his son and daughter lived there, and described it as a three-person household. [ 2 , 4 , 7 , 8 ]
Police are working to identify the man and determine the cause of death, and are questioning the person who made the call and others connected with the house, TBS NEWS DIG reported. A reporter quoted by Livedoor News said investigators had arrived to examine the scene. [ 1 , 5 , 6 ]
Why it matters
Police have opened an investigation on suspicion of corpse abandonment, and the man's identity and cause of death have not been established. Police are also checking who else lived at the house, whose head of household was in a facility, according to Sankei Shimbun and Nippon TV News.
Key facts
- A man's body was found in a house in Miharashicho, Otaru, Hokkaido, on October 7. [ 2 , 4 , 6 ]
- A person connected with the household called 110 shortly after 11:00, saying they could not get in touch with the family. [ 1 , 2 , 4 , 6 ]
- The body was badly decomposed and the man's age could not be determined. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- The body was wrapped in what appeared to be a futon and was found somewhere other than a bedroom. [ 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 ]
- Hokkaido police said there were no visible external injuries on the body. [ 1 , 4 ]
- The head of the household was in a facility when the body was found. [ 2 , 4 ]
- Police are investigating on suspicion of corpse abandonment. [ 4 , 6 , 7 , 8 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- A man's body was found in a house in Miharashicho, Otaru, on October 7. [ 2 , 4 , 6 ]
- The 110 call came from a person connected with the household who said they could not contact the family or resident. [ 1 , 2 , 4 , 6 ]
- The body was badly decomposed. [ 1 , 2 , 4 ]
- The body was wrapped in what appeared to be a futon. [ 3 , 4 , 6 , 7 , 8 , 11 ]
- The body was found somewhere other than a bedroom. [ 5 , 6 , 7 ]
- Police are treating the case as a possible corpse abandonment. [ 4 , 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 ]
- The head of the household was in a facility at the time. [ 2 , 4 ]
- The body had no visible external injuries. [ 1 , 4 ]
Still unclear
- Who the dead man is. Police say his identity is unknown and are working to establish it.
- How long the man had been dead. TBS NEWS DIG reported at least a month, while a Nippon TV News headline said several months.
- How the man died. A Nippon TV News headline said the cause of death is undetermined.
- Exactly where in the house the body was found. Several outlets said it was not in a bedroom, and only a Nippon TV News headline said it was in a basement storage room.
- When the body was found. Most outlets say officers found it after the call at about 11:15, but a TBS NEWS DIG summary gives a time of shortly after 14:00.
- Who lived in the house. TBS NEWS DIG reported information that a man in his 70s and his son and daughter lived there, and Sankei Shimbun said police are checking whether anyone besides the head of household lived there.
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- October 7: a person connected with the household calls 110 saying they cannot contact the family (Sankei Shimbun gives 11:15). [ 1 , 4 ]
- October 7: TBS NEWS DIG reports the body was found shortly after this time. [ 3 ]
- October 7: TBS NEWS DIG reports the discovery of a badly decomposed man's body of unknown age. [ 1 ]
- October 8: Sankei Shimbun reports the body was wrapped in what appeared to be a futon and police are considering a corpse abandonment case. [ 4 ]
- October 8: TBS NEWS DIG reports the body was not in a bedroom and that a man in his 70s, his son and his daughter reportedly lived there. [ 7 ]
- October 8: TBS NEWS DIG reports police have begun an investigation on suspicion of corpse abandonment. [ 8 ]
- October 8: Nippon TV News reports the body was found in a basement storage room and the cause of death is undetermined. [ 9 ]