By Floro Mercene
Total of 17.7 billion yen (the equivalent of $150 million) was discovered often at garbage collection points, and reported to the police in 2016.
In April last year, 42.51 million yen (about $380, 000) was found in garbage at a dumpsite in Gunma Prefecture. After a two-month investigation, the police found that the money belonged to a deceased person and the legal heir had dumped the money by accident. Just before the statutory deadline, the money was returned to the relative. If no one claims abandoned money within three months, the money goes to the finder.
It seems a growing number of elderly are leaving behind stashes of money that family members are unaware of and sometimes throwing away by mistake. Another case has been reported from a waste disposal facility in Nara Prefecture.
About 20 million yen in bank notes were found. Another 20 million yen or so was discovered in a food container at a garbage collection point in Ishikawa Prefecture. Similar cases have been reported frequently in news coverage.
Japan is the world’s most rapidly aging society. As 6.24 million people aged 65 or older were living alone.
According to data from the Tokyo Medical Examiner’s Office, 3,175 Tokyo residents aged 65 or older died alone in 2016.
In addition to growing numbers of elderly dying with unnoticed stashes, some people hoard cash at home, feeling safe with their money close at hand. One of the house-clearing service companies in Tokyo found two safes at the home of an elderly man who had died alone. “There is probably nothing valuable in these safes. Please throw them away.” said a relative. But workers looked inside, just in case. They found 200 million yen in cash. In another instance, the company found 5 million yen in a closet drawer while clearing a house on behalf of a client.