I've heard that same story although I don't recall it being in japan. In my   
   girl guide group our leader said essentially the same thing that someone wrote   
   it why they were bedridden from a illness and died before finishing the last   
   verse as well. We    
   always hummed the last one in respect to her as well   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)