Japanese tourist hangs self inside Malate flat

A male Japanese tourist allegedly committed suicide by hanging himself with a leather belt in the bathroom of his condominium unit in Malate, Manila, the other night.

Police identified the victim as Akashi Toshiyuki, 34, a native of Fukuoka, Japan, billeted at Room 304 Control III Condominium, 2664 Espiritu street.

According to police, the victim arrived in the Philippines last August and stayed with his Filipina wife in Bacolod. After a few months, Toshiyuki transferred to Manila.

Police said that at about 6:50 p.m. the other night, the victim’s roommate, Ricky Lamata knocked on the door of their condominium and called for the victim to open it.

Lamata became suspicious when the victim failed to answer him. Fearing that something had happened to Toshikyuki, Lamata sought help and opened the door using a duplicate key.

Police said Lamata and Randy Labao, a maintenance man, discovered the victim hanging lifeless inside the bathroom with a leather belt looped around his neck.

Investigators theorized that Toshiyuki could have been driven to commit suicide by a serious marital problem after they found an alleged suicide note written in Japanese and a photograph of a baby, believed to be the victim’s, atop a table in the victim’s room.

Homicide investigators of the Western Police District are still probing the case with the assistance of the Japanese Embassy. – Mike Frialde