Japanese found dead in hotel

JAKARTA (JP): Police are still investigating the case of a Japanese man who was found dead in a room at Hotel Indonesia on Jl. M.H. Thamrin, Central Jakarta, on Saturday.

City police spokesman Sr. Comr. Anton Bachrul Alam said on Sunday that the police were not sure whether Wasao Fukumoto was murdered or not.

Fukumoto, a jewelry trader, was reportedly found dead with severe stab wounds to his stomach and chest by a room boy of the hotel.

The hotel employee opened the room, as the victim, who had stayed in the hotel for a week, had not left the room since Friday.

"We are still investigating the cause of death of the Japanese. We have not concluded whether he was murdered or he died due to illness since he was already old, 73 years of age," Anton told The Jakarta Post.

Police sources rejected the possibility that Fukumoto was robbed since no belongings of the victim were missing when the body was found.

Three hotel employees have been questioned related to the case. Police will also question Fukumoto's local business partners here.

Fukumoto's body was still at the Cipto Mangunkusumo General Hospital's morgue on Sunday.

Morgue' employee, Suminto, said, according to the morgue's records, Fukumoto died due to stab wounds.

"We are still waiting for the victim's relatives to take the body," Suminto said on Sunday. (jun)