A man died soon after being found sprawled on the ground at a park here Monday morning, bleeding from the head, police officials said.

A passerby discovered the man, identified as 51-year-old Toshitsugu Tamura, lying face up in a park adjacent to Chiba Port in Chuo Ward at around 7 a.m., police said.

Tamura, a homeless man, was already dead by the time police officers arrived.

As there are signs that Tamura was involved a fight, police said they are investigating the case as an assault resulting in death and are trying to determine the exact cause of death.

A 61-year-old man who lives in a tent nearby and knew the victim was quoted by police as saying that he saw Tamura's body lying in the park late Sunday evening.

The park is surrounded by warehouses and construction material storage spaces, with few people seen there at night, according to police.