"Reported Swarm of Flies on Window"... Body Presumed to Be Solitary Death Found

A Korean Resident in Japan Reports Suspicious Flies,
Leads to Discovery of Presumed Solitary Death

It has been reported that after a Korean resident in Japan noticed a window swarming with flies and filed a report, local police discovered a body presumed to be a solitary death.

A deceased body of a solitary death was discovered following a report by a Korean resident in Japan. Screenshot from social media.

On July 5, a person identified as Mr. A, who introduced himself as a Korean staying in Japan, posted on social media, "For the first time in my life, I called the police," along with a photo. The photo showed dozens of flies gathered behind a white curtain through the window of a building.

Mr. A explained, "I happened to look up while walking down the street and noticed a large number of flies stuck to the window of an apartment. I thought it was very strange, so I searched online and found that it could be a sign of a solitary death."

Afterward, Mr. A reported it to the police, and officers who arrived at the scene reportedly discovered a body inside the building, presumed to be a solitary death.

This story quickly spread on social media. Online users commented, "I never knew flies could be a sign like that," "You did a good thing," and "Solitary deaths are truly sad."

According to statistics from the National Police Agency of Japan, as of last year, there were 76,020 single-person households who died alone at home. Among them, 58,044 were elderly people aged 65 or older, accounting for 76.4% of the total. By prefecture, Tokyo had the highest number at 7,699, followed by Osaka with 5,329, Kanagawa with 3,659, and Aichi with 3,411.

Among the bodies of those aged 65 and older, the period from the presumed time of death to discovery was "same day to one day" in 39.2% of cases, making it the most common. Japanese media outlet Nikkei reported, "There are also cases where the deceased are discovered after relatives or acquaintances who visit regularly notice their absence, or after reports of mail piling up unnaturally."

Meanwhile, as solitary deaths have emerged as a social issue, the Japanese government enacted the Act on Measures for Loneliness and Isolation in 2023 and established the Office for Measures on Isolation and Loneliness under the Cabinet Office, which is currently in operation.