Murdered Japanese tourist cremated

SURAKARTA, Central Java: The body of Norio Wakaoji, a Japanese tourist found murdered in a hotel in Prambanan, Klaten, on Monday was cremated on Thursday.

The relatives of Wakaoji flew his ashes home to Japan yesterday, Antara reported.

The agency reported that the cremation took place at Tiong- Ting crematorium in Kentingan, Jebres, Surakarta. The ceremony was attended by, among others, the Japanese consul, A. Hasuka, and Wakaoji's father.

Police found Wakaoji's body in his room at the Muharti Prambanan hotel. They suspect the decease was robbed before he was killed.

Wakaoji had been staying at the hotel with two friends, Japanese Hotta Mashahiro and Yunuspati, a resident of Bojonegoro, East Java. Both were not at the hotel when the body was found.

Police said Mashahiro was later found drunk at a hotel in Yogyakarta, while Yunuspati's whereabouts was unknown.(01)