Fake news alert: Nope, a Japanese man was not killed by his 6-tonne porn collection

AsiaOne
Monday, Mar 6, 2017

Despite what you've been reading, no one was crushed to death by his own massive porn collection. 

The story that had gone viral over the weekend was most likely lost in translation, Gizmodo uncovered.

The original Feb 28 report by Japanese tabloid Nikkan Spa did say that a Japanese man was found dead alongside six tonnes of porn paraphernalia in his home. 

But the 50-year-old had died of a heart attack on top of his stash, contrary to what several news sites, including Daily Mail, The Mirror and Toronto Sun, are saying.

Nikkan Spa added that the man's body was not discovered for more than a month, partly because his porn magazines and clippings absorbed decomposition fluids and masked odours.

A quick Google search found that so far, only Tokyo-based RocketNews24 and Russia's RT carry an accurate English translation of the Nikkan Spa report. 

huizhen@sph.com.sg