Elderly couple found dead in Tokyo home as heatwave hits Japan

From The Mainichi via Kyodo

July 30 2023

TOKYO – An elderly husband and wife were found dead in their Tokyo home Saturday, with police suspecting they may have died of heatstroke as an air conditioner in their bedroom was turned off amid sweltering conditions in the Japanese capital.

The man in his 90s and the woman in her 80s were found collapsed on their bed by a carer who visited their home in the western Tokyo area of Higashimurayama. The carer called emergency services around 5:45 p.m. and police officers confirmed the deaths.

There was an air conditioner in the room but only a fan was turned on. The room was very hot, with the door and window in the room closed, police said.

The carer visited their home in the morning but was unable to raise a response. The person found them collapsed in the afternoon after visiting the house again with a relative of the couple, police said.

Japan has experienced severe heat in recent days due to strong high pressure systems affecting the archipelago. The mercury hit 35.7 degrees in central Tokyo on Saturday.