KYODO NEWS - May 1, 2019 - 13:55 | All, Japan

A man was found dead on Wednesday morning at an imperial burial site on the outskirts of Tokyo after an apparent suicide, police said.

The discovery came as a series of imperial succession ceremonies took place in the Imperial Palace on Wednesday, following the ascension of Emperor Naruhito. His father, the former Emperor Akihito, abdicated on Tuesday.

The man was found dead at the Musashino Imperial Graveyard in Hachioji, where imperial family members -- including the great-grandfather and grandfather of Emperor Naruhito -- are buried.

A crossbow bolt was embedded in the man's body and a crossbow was found nearby, according to the police. The body was found in a closed area surrounded by fences where construction work has been ongoing, they said.

An official of the Imperial Household Agency found the body, and called police at around 7:20 a.m. Other details were not immediately available.