SHIZUOKA (TR) – Shizuoka Prefectural Police on Friday revealed that skeletal remains found on a beach in Shimoda City last month are of a child, reports the Shizuoka Shimbun (Nov. 14).
At around 9:00 a.m. on October 19, a. tourist walking near the Toji Sand Skiing Field found a lower jaw near the water’s edge. Officers from the Shimoda Police Station then began to search the sand in the area and a skull and ribs.
According to police, the body parts belong to a child aged between 10 and 13. The gender of the child is not known. The child stood up to 146 centimeters tall.
The child had been dead for more than one year before the discovery. No personal items or clothing were found at the scene.
An examination of missing persons records did not lead to identifying the child, police said.
The location of the discovery is near Ryugu Sea Cave, an area frequented by tourists. At high tide, the area can be inundated by water.
The Shimoda Police Station is treating the case as the result of foul play or an accident. Persons with information on the case are advised to call the station at 0558-27-0110.
