Fact Check: Was A Japanese Man Crushed To Death By His Porn Collection?

A Japanese man went viral for seemingly being crushed to death—not by any simple object, but allegedly by his own collection of pornography.

On March 4, 2017, news sites from all around the world claimed that a Japanese man in his 50s was killed after 6,000 kg worth of adult magazines fell on top of him. He was found in a decomposing state a month after his death.

In reality, the cause of his death turned out to be another case of misinformation. Rather than being the victim of ill-placed adult magazines, it was a heart attack that spelled his end.

What was true about the reports, however, was the reason that his body was found so late. The paper from the pornographic magazines soaked up the bodily fluids of the dead man, absorbing the foul odor that would usually alert neighbors of something amiss.

The man was a former employee in the automobile industry until he became what is locally known as a hikkikomori, someone who shuts themselves in at home due to severe social withdrawal. The local Cabinet Office estimated that around 1.46 million people in Japan are currently living as social recluses.