A mother and daughter in Japan have been living in a rubbish-filled home for years despite earning more than 400,000 yen (US$2,700) a month in rent.
After the father of the family died, the pair struggled to live independently and lost direction.
In August, the mainland media reported that the mum and daughter duo had featured on the Japanese variety show Can I Come to Your House?.
A television crew interviews people who miss the last bus and, in exchange for covering their fare, films inside their homes.
Nachiko Tanaka, 83, and her 47-year-old daughter Akane, both from a bustling Tokyo district, are unemployed but own a block of flats with seven units.
They live in four of the flats and rent out the remainder, earning more than 400,000 yen in monthly rent. Also, the late father left behind a pension.
They often order takeaway food, bathe at a public bathhouse and use a self-service washing machine nearby.
The entrance to their home is cluttered with unopened delivery boxes, while the living room is piled high with books, cans and shopping bags.
The kitchen counter is also full of condiments and dishes, but the rice cooker is broken, and many food items are unopened and past their expiry dates.
Their bedroom doors can only be opened a little due to the clutter.
Nachiko sat on a mound of things, pushed some aside and lay down, explaining that this is how they sleep.
“We buy what we like but never use it in time, so it just keeps piling up. When we start cleaning, we get too tired and give up,” she said.
Nachiko said that she came from a wealthy business family and had a husband who worked in education.
Akane recalled how her father frequently took them on overseas trips, and the family always enjoyed the finest food and goods.
“My father was very family-oriented; he cooked for us. The maid would handle the chores. We had a dog, and our family was very happy,” she added.
However, after the father died, Akane’s brother and sister moved out, leaving only her and her mother. The cause of the father’s death has not been reported.
The duo lost their sense of direction and struggled to care for themselves, gradually turning their home into a rubbish dump.
Akane said: “It is not that we do not want to change, we just do not know where to begin.”
Their story created a buzz on mainland social media.
One online observer said: “It turns out that even without work worries or home loans, people can still live terribly.”
“When life loses its focus, it is easily consumed by trivialities,” said another.
While a third person added: “I hope they seek help from a psychologist and find their way out of the haze. The father certainly would not want to see them living like this.” - SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST
