Three members of the same family were found dead in their house Thursday in a suspected murder-suicide in Hirakata, Osaka Prefecture, police said.
Firefighters, who received an emergency call at around 2:40 a.m., found them in the two-story residence showing no signs of life. A 48-year-old man, his wife and their daughter were later confirmed dead at a nearby hospital.
According to the local police the couple's 16-year-old son, who also lives at the house, made the emergency call, saying that his sister was screaming. The son was unharmed.
There were no signs that someone else had been in the house, police said.
The man and his 20-year-old daughter were found on the second floor, while his 49-year-old wife was discovered on the first floor.
The knife apparently used in the stabbing was found near the man's body inside the residence, police said.
The man's name has been withheld from this report because of the nature of the case and the ramifications it could have for the surviving teenage son.
A man in the neighborhood said he was stunned by the incident.
"I heard the sounds of sirens at around 3 a.m. and woke up. I'm surprised, as it's a safe neighborhood," he said.