HEYBALI – An 18-year-old Indonesian migrant worker from Bangli, Bali, has died in Kagoshima, Japan, in a case local police say is being investigated as a suspected suicide. Her father, identified as INK, learned of his daughter’s death through the training institution that had placed her abroad.
Putu, the eldest of two siblings, had only begun working in Japan on July 1, roughly six weeks before her death, at a poultry processing company. She lived in company-provided housing alongside a coworker also from Buleleng Regency, Bali.
A Sudden Loss With No Prior Warning Signs
According to her father, Putu had no history of illness and had not shared any concerns during recent conversations with family. Two days before she was found dead, she had spoken by phone with her younger sister, a conversation her father described as light and ordinary, with no indication of distress.
“There was no history of illness. There were no problems of any kind that we knew of,” INK told detikBali at the family’s home in Banjar Palaktiying, Bangli district, on Monday, August 24.
Discovered After Missing Work
Iptu I Gede Gumiliarta, spokesperson for Bangli Police, said Putu’s death was discovered after company management noticed she had not reported for work and were unable to reach her by phone. When staff went to check her apartment, they found the door locked. A coworker forced it open, and Putu was found dead inside.
Japanese authorities are currently investigating the case. As of this report, no official findings regarding the cause or circumstances of her death have been released by Japanese officials.
Repatriation Still Being Arranged
Putu had been under a one-year, three-month work contract in Japan, following an initial two-week training and quarantine period upon her arrival in Kagoshima. Her family says the process of repatriating her body is currently being handled by Bali’s Provincial Manpower and Mineral Resources Office alongside the training institution that facilitated her placement abroad. No confirmed date has yet been set for her return to Bali.
“We haven’t received information on when the repatriation will begin, but we’ve been told the process is underway,” INK said. He added that authorities have not yet provided the family with detailed information regarding the cause of death.
For Bali’s community of migrant workers and their families, cases like this one draw attention to the emotional and logistical toll placed on those who work far from home, and on the families left waiting for answers when tragedy strikes overseas.
This article discusses suicide. If you or someone you know is struggling, please reach out to a mental health professional or a local crisis support service.