Japanese actress Miho Nakayama was found dead in her Tokyo home on Friday at the age of 54. She was discovered in her bathtub by an acquaintance after she failed to appear for work. Paramedics arrived at the scene and confirmed her death.
Nakayama achieved fame as a singer in the 1980s and 1990s, during the peak of J-pop’s popularity, but she was best known for her role in the 1995 film Love Letter.
The cause of her death is currently under investigation.
Miho Nakayama had been scheduled to perform at a Christmas show in Osaka on Friday but canceled her appearance, citing health issues. A statement from her agency, posted on her website, confirmed her death, expressing shock at the unexpected event. The cause of her death has not yet been determined.
Nakayama, a beloved teen idol in Japan during the 1980s, also had a successful acting career, with her most notable role in the 1995 film Love Letter. In the movie, she played a grieving widow who exchanges letters with a stranger, which became a massive box office success and received critical praise both in Japan and internationally. Her performance earned her numerous best actress awards.
Nakayama is survived by a son, who is in the custody of her ex-husband, musician Hitonari Tsuji.