Former President of Long-Established Onsen Hotel in Fukuoka Dies; Note Left Behind

The Yomiuri Shimbun

18:56 JST, March 12, 2023

Makoto Yamada, a former president of Damimaru Besso, a hotel with a long history in Fukuoka Prefecture that has been rocked by allegations that it changed the water in its baths only twice a year, was found dead, prefectural police revealed Sunday.

According to the police, Yamada was discovered along a mountain road in Chikushino City early Sunday and was later pronounced dead.

What read like a suicide note was found in his car, which was parked nearby, and prefectural police suspect he took his own life.

Damimaru Besso allegedly changed the hot spring water in its public baths only two times a year, a violation of the Public Bath Houses Law, and submitted falsified data to the prefectural government. Prefectural police are investigating the matter.