A 29-year-old Japanese man with bronchial asthma died while undergoing Chinese acupuncture and moxibustion treatment. The autopsy findings of the lungs were compatible with a diagnosis of severe asthma. Further, on immunohistochemical examination, hypoxic brain damage and an unusual distribution of pulmonary surfactant were found. In contrast, only minor hemorrhages in the right semispinal muscle and round-shaped bruises were seen as a result of Chinese acupuncture and moxibustion treatment. Thus, it was concluded that the man had died from a severe asthmatic attack.