On 20 November 20 1999, the body of Sadao Hasegawa was discovered in a Bangkok hotel room he had hung himself.
According to Hasegawa's brother, the police who entered the hotel room of the 54 year old artist reported that the suicide was premeditated and resembled that of a Samurai warrior. A series of orderly clues, including a hand written note from Hasegawa, asking forgiveness for his life, and a portrait of author Yukio Mishima, drawn on a rock, by Hasegawa, were displayed on a table.