A teenager died in an apparent suicide Monday morning in a house in Hachioji, a suburban Tokyo city, police said.
The boy, who was 15 and in his first year of high school, sustained a head wound and was pronounced dead at a hospital, according to the Metropolitan Police Department.
The police said his mother heard a bang from her son's room on the second floor of the house around 8 a.m. before finding him on the floor bleeding from the head.
The police received a call around 8:15 a.m. reporting that a family member had attempted suicide.
A type of firearm was found in his room and they are investigating its authenticity as well as the channel of acquisition.
The boy's mother and elder sister were inside the house at the time but neither was injured, they added.
The incident took place inside a residential area of detached houses.
"I'm surprised something like this happened close to where I live," a 62-year-old woman in the neighborhood said. "There are lots of children living around here but I wonder what had happened to him (leading up to the incident)."
If you or someone you know is in crisis and needs help, resources are available. In case of an emergency, please call 119 in Japan for immediate assistance. The TELL Lifeline is available for those who need free and anonymous counseling at 03-5774-0992. You can also visit them at telljp.com. For those in other countries, visit www.suicide.org/international-suicide-hotlines.html for a detailed list of resources and assistance.