Police in Akashi, Hyogo Prefecture, have arrested two brothers, on suspicion of abandoning a body after they kept the remains of their father in their house for two years.
According to police, Kazuhito Yamada, 49, a company employee, and his unemployed brother Takuhito, 42, left the body of their father, who was in his 80s when he died in December 2019, in a tatami mat room on the first floor of their house, Sankei Shimbun reported. Takuhito was quoted by police as saying he needed their father’s pension for living expenses, so they didn’t report his death.
The father’s mummified remains were found after a welfare official reported to police on Wednesday that every time the welfare office had tried to check up on him, one of the sons would always say he was out.
© Japan Today
21 Comments
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David Brent
Filthy. Imagine the putrefaction and stench in summer.
Steve
You still have to pay the bills with Otou Samas pension money.
Lindsay
Of course they weee only doing it to fort his pension. This happens very often in Japan. It’s a sick and dime red practice. It just shows the morals of many people. Leave your parent to rot at home so you can keep their pension. It’s beyond disgusting.
HBJ
Unfortunately there are almost certainly hundreds more similar cases all around the country right now.
Tom Doley
This cultural trait is becoming really disgusting. Why people don't respect the dead and give them proper funeral is beyond comprehension.
Mark
Sickening, can't comprehend this Syndrome yet!!!
Mark
This is what happened yo $$ takes over your soul.
gokai_wo_maneku
It sounds like the father didn't raise his kids very well.
Harry_Gatto
Not necessarily, according to the article the body was "mummified".
jeancolmar
Sad that the brothers were so poor that they had hide the remains of their father to collect his pension. "O hateful evil, state of poverty!" says Chaucer's Man of Laws.
JerseyDevil
wowyz
"kept the remains of their father in their house for two years."
mental illness is strong, charlies angels: dottie, belle, and enola, did a number on that.
Fighto!
Zero respect for the dead. Despicable, and it seems this trait is becoming more prevalent.
Ten years in prison might shake these two dropkick losers up a bit.
iradickle
letsberealistic
Is it wrong that this made me laugh a little?
David Brent
You're right. Keeping a dead body in the spare room carries no health/sanitation risks!
Harry_Gatto
Possibly not, depends on the degree of mummification and, lest we forget, you were talking originally about "putrefaction and stench".
Numan
Burial is an expensive racket in Japan. There might be some mental health issues involved with loosing a loved one, but the primary reason in Japan is probably financial. It is too expensive to cremate, and it too expensive to give up any income supporting the family like pensions payments. If any family is surviving primarily on pension payments then they are struggling over all.
pudus
"If any family is surviving primarily on pension payments then they are struggling over all.
They should move to much more cheaper areas like fukushima, or other downgraded areas. I've seen many of such trying to stay in expensive Tokyo in nicer , and other surrounding areas, living in 2 story old style apts, an rye sore for such nicer areas
In some remote country areas govt welfare housing rent is as cheap as 15,000Y or lower for Japanese only.
But no, that's too rational for such.
ushosh123
These story happens way too often and really needs addressing. It would be wild to think one could permanently get away with it so it's purely short term. Probably a symptom of many more complex problems.
Kumagaijin
As I've commented before on this topic, it really makes you wonder how many bodies are out there in makeshift graves somewhere in the bush that family members have not reported. Its not just pension money people are after, its also the cost of cremation and things people are burdened with.
Living with a dead body in the house is absolutely insane.