Indonesian Migrant Worker from Bangli Found Dead in Japan, Suspected Suicide

An Indonesian migrant worker with the initials Putu AMW was found dead in Kagoshima City, Japan. The 18-year-old woman from Bangli Regency, Bali, is suspected of having taken her own life.

“I received news from the Hishou training institute that my daughter died on Saturday, 16 August 2026,” said Putu’s father, INK, when met at the family home in Banjar Palaktiying, Bangli District, on Monday (24/8/2026).

INK said his daughter had been given the opportunity to work in Japan since 1 July. Putu worked at a chicken meat processing company in Japan.

While working in Japan, Putu lived in a dormitory or apartment provided by the company. She shared the accommodation with a female colleague from Singaraja, Buleleng Regency.

“She lived with a work colleague, also a woman from Singaraja,” said INK.

INK said his daughter had not even been working at the Japanese company for a full month. During her first two weeks in Kagoshima, Putu had to undergo training and quarantine.

Two days before her death, the eldest of two siblings had communicated with her younger sister in Bali. According to INK, Putu did not mention any problems during that conversation. Putu had been contracted to work in Japan for one year and three months.

“There was no history of illness. There were no problems at all. Two days earlier, she had spoken on the phone with her younger sister. They joked and laughed,” INK added.

INK explained that the repatriation of Putu’s body is currently being processed by the Bali Provincial Manpower and Energy and Mineral Resources Office and the Hishou training institute. However, he has not yet received information about the flight schedule for his daughter’s body from Japan to Bali.

“I have not received any information about when she will be brought home. But they said it is being processed,” said INK.

“Regarding the cause of death, I have also not been given a detailed explanation,” he continued.

Head of Public Relations of Bangli Police, First Inspector I Gede Gumiliarta, said Putu’s death was only discovered when company management noticed she had not shown up for work. Attempts to call her phone also went unanswered.

According to Gumiliarta, the door to Putu’s apartment room was locked when company management arrived. Her colleague then forced the door open. When the dormitory room door was opened, Putu was found lifeless.

“The victim was found dead by hanging in her dormitory,” said Gumiliarta.

Gumiliarta said the suspected suicide case is still being investigated by police authorities in Japan. There has been no official statement from Japanese authorities regarding the motive for the suspected suicide.

“There is no official information from the Japanese government regarding the motive and cause,” Gumiliarta added.