In 2010, officials in Tokyo went to congratulate the oldest man in the city on his 111th birthday, but instead found his skeletal remains on his bed

 


In 2010, officials in Tokyo went to congratulate the oldest man in the city on his 111th birthday, but instead found his skeletal remains on his bed. He’d been dead for 30 YEARS but his family had kept it secret. Sogen Kato was born on July 22, 1899, and died at the age of 81 in 1980. But Mr Kato's family failed to tell anyone and kept his mummified body in his bed.

When officials tried to check up on him, fa

mily members repeatedly chased them away. Reason why brought tears to us all.. more details in comment 

to continue collecting his pension money. Sogen Kato was born on July 22, 1899, and died at the age of 81 in 1980. But Mr Kato's family failed to tell anyone and kept his mummified body in his bed.

When officials tried to check up on him, family members repeatedly chased them away.

The mummified body was discovered in the Adachi area of Tokyo after police broke into the man's home

When officers forced their way into the family home in Adachi ward - one of Tokyo's busiest commuter districts, they found his mummified skeletal remains, wearing underwear and pajamas and covered with a blanket.

His 53-year-old granddaughter told investigators he holed up in his room about 30 years ago after declaring he wanted to be a living Buddha.

Police said that they believe Mr Kato, believed to have been one of the five oldest people in the world, died soon after that.

His family is now facing a fraud investigation, amid suspicion they received pension money paid to Mr Kato and his late wife, who died six years ago.

It is claimed they received 9.5 million yen (£70,000) in widower's pension payments via Mr Kato's bank account since 2004 - some of the money had recently been withdrawn.

Tokyo Metropolitan welfare official Yutaka Muroi said: 'His family must have known he has been dead all these years and acted as if nothing happened.

'It's so eerie.'

Authorities in Japan were trying to establish whether it was a case of religious belief gone wrong or social security fraud.

His family - a 79-year-old daughter and two grandchildren aged 49 and 53 - claim Mr Kato was a devout and stubborn man.

They say in about 1980 he announced that was going to become 'a buddha in his own body', which is an extreme practice of the Shingon sect of Buddhism.

It involves refusing food and water while meditating to achieve 'Buddhahood', then the resulting corpse does not decay but mummifies naturally.

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