The Consumer Affairs Agency's No. 3 official and his wife apparently committed suicide Sunday, jumping from their condominium in Tokyo, police said.
Fumihiko Jinguji, the 52-year-old director general of the agency, and his wife, Kumiko, 53, were found bleeding in the condo premises.
They were confirmed dead later at a hospital.
A farewell note, believed to have been written by the woman to their daughter, referred to domestic problems, the police said.
The post of director general is the third-highest at the agency, following secretary general and deputy secretary general. Jinguji had been on loan to the agency from the Japan Fair Trade Commission since August 2011.