‘I thought he was sleeping’ - Japan Man Arrested for Keeping Father’s Body at Home

On October 13, 2024, police arrested 64-year-old Katsuji Sato in Hachioji, Tokyo. They discovered his father’s body in their home.

Sato told authorities he did not know his father was dead, thinking he was just sleeping. A cleaning worker alerted the police after seeing the corpse, leading to the grim discovery.

The Incident: How It Occurred

The Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department charged Sato with suspicion of leaving a body at home. Reports indicate the body had been in the house from September 2023 until its discovery in October 2024. The shared home was public housing, and a cleaner found the body, which appeared mummified. Sato reportedly told the cleaner, “I have a father who can’t move, but don’t worry about it.”

Investigators suspect the body is Sato’s father, who was in his 90s, and the police are working to confirm the identity. During questioning, Sato responded, “I did not think my father was dead,” and “I thought he was just sleeping.” Authorities continue to investigate, and incidents like these occur frequently in Japan.

Why Do Incidents Like This Occur?

This case is not isolated. In recent years, multiple reports have emerged of people keeping deceased family members’ bodies at home. One common reason is financial dependency. Some individuals conceal deaths to continue receiving pensions from the deceased.

Social isolation, especially among the elderly and their caregivers, exacerbates such cases. Many feel disconnected from society, hindering their ability to seek help or report deaths. The “hikikomori” phenomenon, which involves extreme social withdrawal, has become significant in Japan.

While it primarily affects young adults, older individuals also experience this behavior, leading to tragic consequences like the Hachioji incident. Isolation prevents these individuals from reaching out for help, and some continue to claim pensions from deceased relatives to avoid financial hardship.

The Japanese government is working to address this growing concern, as hikikomori affects hundreds of thousands of citizens across different age groups.

Similar Cases Across Japan

This case mirrors several other incidents across Japan.

In 2019, 53-year-old Kiyotaka Koike of Saitama was arrested for keeping his father’s corpse at home for the sole reason of collecting pension. The issue arose when an employee from Koshigaya City contacted the police, reporting that the suspect’s father had been out of contact for several months. Officers subsequently visited the residence and made the grim discovery.

June 2021 reports found 56-year-old Michiko Tamura arrested on suspicion of corpse abandonment, to which she responded, ‘I wanted his pension,’ referring to her dead husband. Also in 2021, Mie Prefectural Police arrested 37-year-old Mitsuharu Fukuyama upon discovering his father’s corpse in his residence for the same reason.

In 2023, 63-year-old Naoki Sera pretended that both his parents were alive, while he hid their bodies under newspapers for a decade by that time. Sera collected 29 of their pension payments worth a total of 14.4 million yen.

It is not clear why Sato kept his father’s corpse in his house, however, older incidents reflect the typical cause of persistence of such behaviour.

Japan’s Aging Population and Pension-Related Issues

Japan has one of the world’s oldest populations, making pensions a vital income source for many households. In some cases, the pension system unintentionally fuels incidents where caregivers claim pensions from deceased relatives. This situation highlights the complex issues Japan faces as it navigates its aging population. The government must address these challenges to prevent similar incidents in the future.

While the police continue their investigation in Hachioji, this incident sheds light on broader societal issues. Japan’s aging population and social isolation, combined with financial challenges, contribute to incidents where individuals conceal deaths, reflecting deeper problems in the country’s social structure.

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