Japanese diplomat found dead

JAKARTA (JP): Takanori Watanabe, an information and culture attache at the Japanese embassy here, was found dead in his bedroom yesterday.

A housemaid found the bachelor's body lying on his bed in his 8th floor apartment on Jl. Senopati, South Jakarta at about 9:00 a.m., a police source said yesterday.

When the housemaid entered the apartment, she found Watanabe's room still locked, and there was no reply when she knocked on the door.

Being curious about the fate of her employer, the housemaid called the apartment security guard.

"When she got no response, she called the police," said the officer, who asked not to be named.

The officers found the victim with his mouth full with foam, and a can of insecticide and some barbiturate pills close by.

"Police assume the 28-year-old diplomat committed suicide," the officer said.

The body was rushed to the Cipto Mangunkusumo hospital's morgue at 12:30 p.m. by the Kebayoran Baru police.

The Japanese embassy here confirmed Watanabe's death yesterday, but declined to give details.

"Watanabe was posted as an attache in June 1996. He had attended a two-year diplomat course in Bandung, West Java before this," a source at the embassy said. (04/sur)