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Police in Yokohama said Saturday they have arrested a 48-year-old unemployed woman on suspicion of abandoning the corpse of her common-law husband at residence for 10 months.
According to police, Hisae Sasaki said her common-law husband died around the middle of December last year at their apartment in Kanagawa Ward, Sankei Shimbun reported. She was quoted as saying she found him lying in his futon, unresponsive. Police said she told them she didn’t know what to do and had no one she could turn to for help, so she left the body where it was.
On Friday afternoon, a woman case worker from the ward office visited the apartment to inquire about an application for welfare that Sasaki had filed. She noticed a foul odor in the apartment and later called 110. Police came and found the man’s remains.
© Japan Today
13 Comments
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serendipitous1
If it's not skeletons in the closet it's skeletons in the futon. How could she possibly have put up with the smell for so long? It seems for many of these people who say they didn't know what to do, they really mean to say, 'mendokusai', in that the necessary procedures and paperwork etc. are a hassle.
Jonathan Prin
Nothing of a news and thousands if not more to come, as no help as simple explanation.
GS
Funerals are becoming exponentially expensive. These cases often happen for fear of not being able to afford a proper funeral and person involved enters a spiral of despair ultimately unable to take any decision or action. When my time comes I will probably donate my body to science to avoid leaving my family to deal with this hurdle.
tamanegi
Sadly I agree with Jonathan. This kind of incident is not really shocking or newsworthy in Japan anymore.
u_s__reamer
Seems to be a Japanese thing, or is it just that I keep seeing similar stories reported in the press?
Mocheake
Strange how keeping something right next to you can be called "abandonment."
CrashTestDummy
The odors would have been unbelievable. Surprised neighbors didn't notice the smell. Not a pleasant story.
Mickelicious
Sounds like this poor woman needs residential care.
bearandrodent
I wonder how she got through the summer months.
Mark
I am not surprised at all after living here for a while, some people are so heartless and cold beyond imagination.
Tora
Mark:
Sounding pretty bitter there, bro. Time to get out? Or just all corona'ed out? Relax and have some camomile tea man.