A series of incidents in which people who had received no help from others citizens or local governments and apparently died alone raises concerns that human ties in Japanese society are growing increasingly thin and that the nation's social safety net has serious holes.
On Feb. 20, a couple in their 60s and their 30-something son were found dead in their apartment in Saitama City. They appeared to have been dead for about two months. No food was found in their home and only several yen were found.
They had failed to pay the rent for six months, and gas and electricity to their apartment had been turned off. The three had not registered their residency with the city.