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Woman found dead on balcony with scissors in her head died of heatstroke

18 Comments

A 74-year-old woman who was found dead on the balcony of her first floor apartment in Osaka on Sunday died of heatstroke, despite a pair of scissors stuck in her head, police said.

Police said an autopsy on Monday revealed the cause of death as heatstroke and believe the woman collapsed while holding the scissors which pierced her head just behind her right ear, Fuji TV reported.

A neighbor saw the woman’s body on the balcony at around 2:40 p.m. at her apartment in Nishinari Ward and called 119.

Police said the woman, who lived alone, was lying face down and declared dead at the scene. Police said the front door to the apartment was locked. The apartment showed no signs of having been ransacked.

There is no air conditioner in the apartment and nearby street surveillance camera footage showed the woman walking onto the balcony and then seeming to collapse.

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18 Comments
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R.i.p

Sure the scissors didnt help.

Heat stroke is going to be a big problem this year. Common sense is needed.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Hospitalized once with heatstroke. I’m pretty fit, but it knocked me out.

go Olympics!

4 ( +4 / -0 )

The scissors were behind her ear but she fell face down. How do you accidentally stab your self in the back of the head while falling face down?

5 ( +6 / -1 )

Every year the same story. Scissors in the head and heatstroke as well. Drink water. Air conditioning is good. Have a freakin popsicle. Ice cubes are good. Salt. Ever year the same story.

-5 ( +4 / -9 )

People should not be dying of heatstroke with temperatures in the low 30’s no matter how old they are. In fact, the older they are the more accustomed to it they should be. Too many elderly Japanese die every summer from heatstroke in normal temps.

-1 ( +3 / -4 )

Abe's "stimulus" money SHOULD be going to elderly who are in situations like this, particularly THIS summer! And not to advertising agencies like Dentsu!

They should be heavily subsidizing ac and electric bill payments to keep them cool and more importantly ALIVE!

3 ( +6 / -3 )

kyushubill

The surveillance camera footage didn't show anyone else on the balcony when she fell.

It's unusual but not impossible. The way I figure it, she was carrying the scissors in her right hand when she collapsed from heatstroke, probably falling to her knees and then onto her right side, with her head coming into contact with the scissors in her hand. Then, fatally injured, she could have rolled over to the left and ended up face down.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

For such an unusual scene of death on Sunday they are already closing the file on Tuesday?! Goodness me. At least do your job and investigate the scissors a little longer.

Have the cops checked whether she may have been attacked first and died from heatstroke after being prostrate outside on her balcony? Probably not.

-1 ( +2 / -3 )

If we had a mandatory lock-down with government funded air-con we could prevent these 1000 annual deaths from occurring. Common sense?

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Even having air con, I know people who don’t use it until after the rainy season!

0 ( +1 / -1 )

We rarely use our air con as I don’t like it

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Case closed.

Why even an article ?

Is family's intimacy preserved with such article ?

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

@Do the hustle

"Too many elderly Japanese die every summer from heatstroke in normal temps."

Anecdotal, but I've noticed proper hydration in this country isn't really a thing.

"In fact, the older they are the more accustomed to it they should be."

There are people up here who have been in Aomori-ken their entire lives and still don't know how to prepare for/deal with the extreme cold and snow we get.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Poor woman... what a tragedy.

You might think it's not a big deal in these temperatures, but for whatever reason my own house (3 floors), on the second floor it's like a sauna even in the upper 20's. Probably an issue of airflow but it's so warm that even when it's -2 in the winter, we don't need to use the heater on the second floor.

About 10 days ago our aircon in our 2nd floor bedroom completely busted out after a storm. Went immediately went to get another at Bic Camera, spent a good 15man for a replacement... that they cannot install until the latter half of July. Apparently they're simply all booked up for the next month or so. We've been sleeping with ice pack pillows and 2 fans but it's still quite hot at night. I imagine we'll be sleeping in our genkan room until we get the new one replaced.

People like to blame the elderly for dying of heat stroke but not all of them have 10man to throw around, or ample air flow in their houses to not require one until mid summer. Not to mention the much cheaper aircon will rack your electricity bill up insanely. We have a double house we share with my in-laws but we pay all of the bills... they had been using their 20 year old air conditioners for the first 3 years we lived here and our electricity bills for like June-September were easily 6man a month. After we changed them all out to more economical updated versions its not hit 3man a month since. Imagine an elderly person with an older airconditioner... do you think they can afford 6man a month just in electricity cost to keep the house cool?

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Rather than relying on aircon maybe Japan should start building homes that keep cool in the summer, warm in the winter. Double glazing, insulation, shade for windows, fewer floor to ceiling windows etc. Not to mention policies to ensure plant life in public areas and encourage people not to pull up all trees and plants on their property. Concrete is a assume storage heater. This will save money and energy too, and aircon just raises the outside temperature a perpetual win win for the power companies.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Luddite,

Spot on as usual.

Now Summer is almost upon us they will start to trim the trees that provide sanctuary from the intense heat.

Sometimes I wonder if common sense exists in Japan.

In Tokyo.......there are very,very,very few avenues that are tree-lined and even fewer that are tree-lined where the trees have been allowed to grow and provide shade.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

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