Decomposing body found inside suitcase dumped atTokyo station

'We were surprised and horrified'

Police at Tokyo station (AFP)

The decomposing body of an elderly woman has been found inside an abandoned suitcase dumped at Japan's Tokyo Station.

The Tokyo Metropolitan Police said the corpse was found in a suitcase in a temporary storage area at Tokyo's main train station. Japanese media reports said the body was of an elderly woman, 140 centimeters tall (4-feet, 7-inches) tall. Police are trying to establish her identity.

The bright yellow suitcase was left in an unlocked coin locker on April 26, according to the media reports. It measured 70x50x25cm.

Nothing unusual was observed about the suitcase, no odour or anything, said Junichi Omoto, a spokesman for regional train company JR East.

"We were surprised and horrified," he said.

It's normal practice to hold abandoned luggage for a month to see if anyone claims it.

Major Japanese train stations have banks of lockers for travelers to store items temporarily.

AP