Japanese Actress Miho Nakayama Dies At 54

Japanese actress Miho Nakayama has been found dead in a bathtub in her Tokyo home on Friday. She was aged 54.

Nakayama was discovered after she failed to show up for work, her acquaintance called the paramedics, who confirmed her death at the scene, local media reported.

The cause of her death was yet to be determined.

Nakayama had originally been scheduled to perform a Christmas show in Osaka on Friday, but cancelled her appearance, citing poor health.

A statement on her website, published by her agency, also confirmed her death on Friday.

“We are stunned by the sudden occurrence of this event,” the statement said, adding that her cause of death was not confirmed.

Nakayama found success as a singer in the 1980s and 90s – at the height of J-pop’s influence – but was best known for starring in the 1995 film Love Letter.

She was one of Japan’s most popular teen idols in the 1980s and also enjoyed an illustrious acting career most notably as the lead actor in Love Letter, a 1995 film about a grieving widow’s letters with a stranger.

The film became a massive box office hit and garnered critical acclaim both domestically and internationally.

Nakayama’s performance earned her several ‘Best Actress’ awards.

She is survived by her son, who is in the custody of her ex-husband and musician Hitonari Tsuji.