In a humble neighborhood in Tokyo, there lives an old man who is about to celebrate his 100th birthday. Mr. Suzuki was supposed to be a longevity star in the community, but he mysteriously disappeared at the age of 99, leaving behind only a pungent stench and an iron door that was always closed.
The truth of the matter goes back to 7 years ago, when Mr. Suzuki was still alive and well, and his son Yutaka Suzuki lived with him. Feng's life from childhood to adulthood can be said to be carefree, and he completed his studies step by step, but after entering the society, he gradually lost confidence in the outside world because of continuous workplace frustration and sensitive personality. He began to choose to close himself, and gradually became a typical "gnawing old man".
Yutaka Suzuki's mother played the role of mediator and pillar in their mother-child life. Unfortunately, she died suddenly of a heart attack, leaving father and son to live together. This is undoubtedly a heavy blow to Yutaka Suzuki. His life began to spiral out of control, with a mountain of garbage piling up in his home, an irregular life, and almost isolated from the outside world.
In 2013, Mr. Suzuki passed away due to natural causes, which was supposed to be the end of a family tragedy, but it became the beginning of an even greater tragedy. Yutaka Suzuki faced a sudden change, and in a panic, he chose an extreme way to make ends meet - concealing the news of his father's death and continuing to receive his father's pension.
Unable to dispose of his father's body properly, Yutaka Suzuki wrapped the body in a plastic bag and a white cloth and put it in a closet at home, and this life of cohabitation with the deceased lasted for seven years. During this period, Yutaka Suzuki defrauded a total of 12 million yen in pensions. This money is the only source of support for him, but it is simply terrifying to outsiders.
Over time, Mr. Suzuki's disappearance came to the attention of the community. In 2020, a routine visit by the pension department unveiled the tip of the iceberg of this incident. The staff smelled an unpleasant stench outside Suzuki's house and knocked on the door several times but no one answered. The situation is unusual, and they contact Yutaka Suzuki, and Yu's abnormal reaction adds a bit of mystery.
After the police intervened, Yutaka Suzuki's secret was finally exposed. When the police opened the door, a mixture of the sour smell of garbage, food spoilage, and human sweat came to everyone's face, making it almost impossible to look at the scene directly, leaving everyone feeling extremely uncomfortable psychologically and physically. The conditions in the room were horrifying, with mountains of garbage piling up and there was little to find a place to stay. And when the cabinet was slowly opened, the fact that Mr. Suzuki had become a white bone made everyone's hearts chill.
This story reflects not only the tragedy of one person, but also a warning to the whole society about the problem of loneliness and the elderly. Although Yutaka Suzuki's behavior is extreme, the social phenomenon behind it is worth pondering. In the context of an ageing society, the problem of loneliness, mental health problems, and the lack of social support systems can all push a seemingly normal person to extreme situations.
Yutaka Suzuki's mental journey is also very dramatic. From a step-by-step student, to a poor work, an introverted personality and choosing to close himself, to a psychological breakdown after the blow of losing a loved one, every step inadvertently pushed him to an abyss from which he could not extricate himself. Although his choice is difficult to understand and accept, his pain and struggle are real. This extreme distortion of the mind is the result of the combined action of society and individuals.
Suzuki's actions also reveal a loophole in society's welfare system for the elderly. His ability to defraud pensions over a long period of time without being detected reflects the loopholes in social management and welfare payments. This is not only a moral issue, but also a system issue, which needs to be paid attention to and reflected on by all sectors of society.
This story also makes one wonder if Yutaka Suzuki could have avoided such a tragedy if he had enough social support, if someone had been able to detect and intervene in his problem in time, and if he had been able to get psychological help.
Through the story of Yutaka Suzuki and his father, we see the deep social issues behind an extreme case. Orphans, mental health, lack of social support systems, and loopholes in the welfare system are all important topics that we cannot avoid. This story is not just a gruesome case, but should be an opportunity for us to reflect and improve. Every corner of society needs warmth and care, and only by building a sound social support network can we ensure that there will not be a second tragedy of Yutaka Suzuki.