IWATE (TR) – Iwate Prefectural Police have arrested a 70-year-old man who was found to be living with the corpse of his mother at their residence in Morioka City, reports Nippon News Network (Apr. 10).
According to police, the man arrested on suspicion of abandoning a body is Yoshimi Takahashi, a 70-year-old unemployed man from Morioka.
Takahashi is suspected of abandoning the body of his mother, Kiyoko Takahashi, 90, at the home they shared.
Upon his arrest on suspicion of abandoning a corpse, Takahashi denied the charges.
According to police, Kiyoko was found under the kotatsu [heated table] with only her head sticking out.
The incident came to light on Thursday when a welfare official was unable to contact Kiyoko and notified the police.
According to investigators, the body showed no external injuries and was not skeletal, suggesting that she died less than one year ago.
Police are investigating the motive and other details connected to the incident.
