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Shibuya Ward assemblyman plunges to death from building in apparent suicide

Kazuaki Ashizawa
Kazuaki Ashizawa

TOKYO (TR) – An assemblyman for Shibuya Ward plunged to his death from a building in Shinjuku Ward over the weekend in what is believed to have been a suicide, investigative sources with the Tokyo Metropolitan Police revealed on Wednesday, reports Jiji Press (Mar. 7).

At around 2:30 p.m. on Saturday, a passerby on a road reported to emergency services that “a man was collapsed” on a road in Nishi Shinjuku. Personnel arriving at the scene confirmed the man dead.

According to police, the man was later identified as Shibuya Ward assemblyman Kazuaki Ashizawa. The 52-year-old suffered severe injuries over his entire body. He is believed to have leaped to his death from a nearby apartment building in intentionally taking his life.

According to the secretariat of the assembly, Ashizawa was serving his sixth term. He cited poor health as his reason for his missing an assembly meeting on Friday.