Actress’ cause of death revealed as she’s found dead in bath aged 54
The sudden death of Japanese actress Miho Nakayama, who was found unresponsive in her bathtub at her Tokyo home, is being investigated by police. Reports suggest that the 54 year old star may have drowned as she was discovered sitting upright and leaning forward in the bath.
She won hearts not only as a TV star but also as a J-pop singer. Her loyal fanbase continued to support her shows, and she was scheduled to perform at a Christmas event in Osaka today. However, the show was cancelled prior to the announcement of her death, with ill health being cited as the reason.
When she didn't turn up for work, a team member went to her home and found her unresponsive. Paramedics were called to the scene and confirmed her death, according to local media reports.
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She had reportedly been in touch with her team just the night before, and even shared a snap on Instagram from a contemporary art exhibition in Tokyo she claimed to have visited recently. The post featured an artwork by French artist Louise Bourgeois - a fabric piece embroidered with the phrase 'I have been to hell and back. And let me tell you, it was wonderful'. In the caption of her last post, the star penned: "I was so depressed for a few days that I could only talk to the friend I went with."
Her agency confirmed her passing this morning via a statement on her website. "We are stunned by the sudden occurrence of this event," it read, noting that her cause of death was yet to be confirmed.
Ms Nakayama leaves behind a son, who she shared with her musician ex-husband Hitonari Tsuji and is now in his care. The couple tied the knot in 2002 and relocated to Paris, where Ms Nakayama took a hiatus from her career and spent much of her time away from the limelight. She later returned to Japan and resumed her career.
The beloved star first stepped into the acting world in 1985 at the young age of 14, in a comedy about high school students called Maido Osawagaseshimasu. She went on to grace a series of TV shows and films, such as A Sleeping Forest (1998) alongside heartthrob Takuya Kimura.
Her biggest film success is widely considered to be Love Letter, which tells the story of a grieving widow who writes letters to a stranger living at her late fiancé's address. As a singer, she bagged the Japan Record Award for Best New Artist for her debut song and had big hits with songs such as Tada Nakitaku No and Sekaijuu no Dare Yori Kitto, which she sang in collaboration with the rock band Wands.
