Police are investigating the death of Japanese actress and singer Miho Nakayama, who was found unresponsive in the bathtub at her Tokyo home.
The 54-year-old, celebrated as Japan’s most beautiful woman during the height of her career in the 1980s and 1990s, shared a troubling Instagram post mere hours before her passing. The post featured a work by French artist Louise Bourgeois—a piece of material embroidered with the words, “I have been to hell and back. And let me tell you, it was wonderful.”
Captioning the image, Ms Nakayama wrote: “I was so depressed for a few days that I could only talk to the friend I went with.”
She was discovered later sitting upright and leaning forward in the bath. The Metropolitan Police Department indicated that she may have drowned, though they are also considering the possibility of an accident or illness, according to local reports.
Known affectionately as “Miporin” by her fans, Ms Nakayama gained international recognition for her role in the 1995 film Love Letter, a critically acclaimed movie that earned her several best actress awards. She also enjoyed success as a J-pop singer and actress in numerous popular television dramas.
Ms Nakayama was scheduled to perform at a Christmas event in Osaka today, 6 December, but the show was cancelled before news of her death emerged, with “poor health” cited as the reason. When she failed to attend work, a member of her team went to her home, found her unresponsive, and called paramedics, who confirmed her death at the scene.
A statement released by her agency on her official website this morning expressed shock at her sudden passing, noting that the exact cause of death had yet to be confirmed. Fans gathered for her planned concert were devastated as news of her death broke.
Ms Nakayama leaves behind a son, who is in the custody of her ex-husband, musician Hitonari Tsuji.
