Japanese man, missing for days, found dead in hotel room

MANILA, Philippines - A Japanese man who was reported missing for several days was found dead in a hotel room in Ermita, Manila Saturday night.

According to initial reports by the Manila Police District (MPD) homicide division, Masaki Kobayashi, 46, a native of Shizuoka, arrived in the country on April 27 and was scheduled to leave on May 8.

For unknown reasons, Kobayashi extended his stay. On the night of May 20, the victim checked in at the Riviera Mansion in Ermita and was scheduled to leave on Saturday. Hotel staff told police investigators that Kobayashi was seldom seen since he checked in.

On the day he was supposed to check out, Kobayashi left the Riviera Mansion at around 2:55 p.m. but hotel records indicate that he never checked back in.

The victim’s wife, who was in Japan, and his children, who were in Australia, made several calls to the hotel asking for Kobayashi when he failed to respond to calls on his cell phone.

Hotel staff forced the door to Kobayashi’s room open and found the victim’s body, already stiff. The bedsheet was stained with blood from the victim’s mouth and nose, investigators said.

Senior Police Officer 1 Gerardo Rivera said they are not ruling out foul play but would not make a formal statement until after an autopsy is conducted. Investigators have notified the Japanese embassy, which has yet to send a representative as of press time.