Tokyo man in his 70’s found dead in his apartment had tested positive for coronavirus

Written with extracts translated from NHK

May 24 2020

OME, Tokyo – A man in his 70s who lived alone in a residence in Ome City, Tokyo was found dead on May 3 and subsequent investigations revealed that he was infected with the new coronavirus.

About two months before he died, it was said he had been estranged from his relatives and he asked for help from a middle school friend who had not met for more than 60 years.

According to the friend, the man used to be an elementary school, but he quit in his 50s. According to the friend, the day before the man died, he began to say, “I feel unwell in my chest,” and the next day was found dead in his bathroom.

The friend said with remorse, “I think that had been unlucky in his life and had come to rely on me.”