A 71-year-old man who burned himself to death aboard a speeding bullet train on Tuesday had repeatedly complained that his pension wasn't enough to live on, a neighbor said Wednesday.

Police searched the apartment of Haruo Hayashizaki in Tokyo's Suginami Ward the morning after the incident, which also claimed the life of Yoshiko Kuwahara, 52, an osteopath from Yokohama. Twenty-six other passengers were injured due to smoke inhalation aboard the Osaka-bound train.

Acquaintances said Hayashizaki had worked as a travelling singer of traditional enka ballads until about 30 years ago, when he became a demolition worker and later changed professions again to become a kindergarten bus driver.