Loneliness of Death Haunts a Japanese Town

Tokiwadaira, one of Japan’s largest residential areas, is implementing measures to address the issue of lonely deaths, as a significant number of its residents are elderly and live alone. Many residents, like 76-year-old Noriko Shikama, live in apartments in Tokiwadaira and may not even know if their neighbors pass away.

Shikama visits the Iki Iki community support center to socialize with other seniors and volunteers. They discuss various topics, including reports of koritsushi, which are deaths in solitude where the bodies are only discovered after a certain period of time. The Japanese police reported nearly 22,000 koritsushi cases in the first three months of the year, with the majority being elderly individuals over 65.

In response to the increasing number of lonely deaths, Tokiwadaira has introduced monitoring devices with sensors in apartments to detect movement, as well as volunteer patrols to look for signs of trouble. The community has also set up a hotline for neighbors to quickly notify authorities of any concerns. While these measures have not completely eliminated koritsushi cases, they have helped reduce the occurrence of deaths going unnoticed for weeks, months, or years.

As Japan’s population continues to age, with a projected increase in elderly individuals living alone, addressing the issue of lonely deaths has become a crucial task. With the implementation of various initiatives in Tokiwadaira, such as the kizuna monitoring device and community patrols, residents are working together to ensure the well-being of their aging population and reduce the risk of koritsushi cases. The community is striving to create a more connected and supportive environment for its residents, especially those who live alone.