AKITA (TR) – A corpse found inside a burned-out vehicle in Odate City last month is that of a former city councillor, police have revealed, reports the Sankei Shimbun (May 13).
According to police, the charred body of Seiya Nakazawa, 77, was found inside his vehicle in a forest of the city on April 20.
The vehicle had dropped about 5 meters from a mountain road into the trees, the Odate Police Station said.
Nakazawa, who is believed to have been suffering from a cognitive impairment, served five terms as city councillor through 2019. He also headed the Akita War-Bereaved Families Association.
“I’m proud of my father”
Nakazawa’s father died in on the island of Luzon in the Philippines during World War II. In 2016, he met with Their Majesties the Emperor and Empress at the Imperial Palace before visiting the Philippines himself.
“I’m proud of my father, who fought for this country,” he said at the time, according to the Asahi Shimbun (April 28, 2019).
On the morning of last December 7, Nakazawa left his residence in Odate City by car. He was never seen again.
Police are now investigating the circumstances that led to the incident.
