Woman says she left husband’s body at home because she thought it wouldn’t fit into coffin

She said his body was cold and that he appeared to be dead. She told police she didn’t think that his body would fit into a coffin, so she left it in the living room.

I know traumatic experiences can have strange effects on people, but this reasoning just baffles.

Surely at some point there should be a consideration of calling an ambulance, just in case, or maybe calling a family member.

God, the smell must have been appalling. My dad died unexpectedly and his body went undiscovered for about 4 days. I will never forget that sticky-sweet smell of decaying dead-guy. We had to throw almost everything in the house away and have a bio-cleaner go through it before we could put it on the market.

That must have been a nasty shock for the daughter, poor lady.

he died sometime between Feb 27 and March 23.

I know they're probably only basing that on the last time anyone saw him alive and the day his daughter discovered what happened but surely they could narrow it down more than that?

If he died a month ago...my goodness I cannot imagine the state of decomposition. That poor daughter walking into the living room and seeing that.

How do people live with a decaying body in the house? I can't imagine eating dinner going in with my business as my deceased spouse in rotting in the living room.

Id bet Y100 that his pension that she would continue to receive if his death went unreported was more than the bereavement pension she would receive after reporting his death.

I don't believe this statement came from the lady ...

It is quite possible that the lady simply fell into a state of denial, due to the shock / trauma she experienced when she found out that her husband had died.

Decomposing corpses are no walk in the park. That's some nasty business.

Calling the police 110 was the right thing to do in such case.

What a stiff shock! The guy must be nine feet tall or extra extra wide if she figured he wouldn't fit into a pine box. Was she going for a DIY coffin or what? Don't know how anyone could put up with the smell or sight of a corpse for several days much less weeks or months. This is "Weekend at Bernie's" type of stuff and our news of the weird for today.. Psych eval for her immediately.

Surely this is a matter for the Wards (in Ichinomiya) welfare department rather than the police. What useful purpose does an arrest serve. Japans legal system will damage this wanan's mental state even more.

Woman says she left husband’s body at home because she thought it wouldn’t fit into coffin

Finding things in my size is quite a problem in this diminutive nation, so I don't suppose a coffin will be any different. I attended one funeral of a large foreigner with a "free-size" cheapo coffin, and his head was tilted 45 degrees to pack him in. Not very dignified.

Thankfully, it will not be my problem when that time comes. I am fine with a burlap sack, but people must keep up appearances.

As alwathe wife, is very clever in Japan, she mast get the last pension, of her husband, is the Japanese low is almost perfect, why she did not report at least to the nearest police box, is incredible..wow!, poor daughter..to find a corps in front of the T.V..

People are strange.

Mental stress over loss of a Loved one ?

I thought Cremation was the Norm in Japan - so do Coffin's matter ? I guess that just goes to show the Illogical thinking brought on by the event.

I personally think, given the information herein, think she is more in need of "Counselling", rather a further stressful Prosecution, which would benefit whom ?

Sounds like the old lady suffers from dementia

Love is expressed differently, strangely, utterly odd sometimes...

After several months of decomposing i am quite sure he will fit in any coffin now, i dont think she should be hounded by the police, i think she needs a bit of help, not a fine or criminal record. poor lady.

When a corpse is cremated in many countries there is nothing left, no bone, only minerals remain, everything burned clean and ground finely. Why is it different in Japan?

Seems like a strange excuse but maybe she panicked. Not a lot of details. Did the daughter visit the home and her mother was not there? I’m not sure if that’s a jail-able offense if the husband died of natural causes. Being stupid and not calling paramedics or police is different than being a murderer.

There another side of the story perhaps for not calling an abundance. If kept secret the wife could of kept cashing in retirement pays and nenkin? Not sure but yes baffles me too.

Who did she marry? King Kong Bundy? Biggie? Shaq?

GdTokyoMar. 25  05:23 pm JST

God, the smell must have been appalling. My dad died unexpectedly and his body went undiscovered for about 4 days. I will never forget that sticky-sweet smell of decaying dead-guy. 

Maybe the old lady had lost her sense of smell a long time ago. Still, I'm surprised the daughter didn't upchuck on the spot the minute she came inside.

It is quite possible that the lady simply fell into a state of denial, due to the shock / trauma she experienced when she found out that her husband had died.

I thought the same thing, Mirchy.

Elder people should be taken care by their adult children.

It's always about money$, report the death and you lose the pension.