FUKUOKA - A former president of Daimaru Besso, a hot spring hotel with a long history in western Japan’s Fukuoka prefecture rocked by allegations that it changed the water in its baths only twice a year, was found dead, local police revealed on Sunday.

According to the police, the body of Mr Makoto Yamada was discovered along a mountainous road in Chikushino City early on 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.

Japanese media reported the note read: “I am very sorry. I feel morally responsible for everything. Please take care of the rest.”

Daimaru 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.

At a news conference late last month, Mr Yamada admitted making a false report. He said: “I told my staff it was OK not to change the bathwater as fewer people were using it.”

Police searched the century-old ryokan last Friday after inspections in November found the bacteria levels in the bath waters had skyrocketed to 3,700 times the limit. THE YOMIURI SHIMBUN/ASIA NEWS NETWORK