According to reports, Miho Nakayama’s body was found in her home after she failed to appear for work on Friday. The 54-year-old actress, best known for her role in Love Letter, was reportedly discovered in her bathtub.
On December 6, 2024, news broke that Nakayama had passed away at her Tokyo residence. She leaves behind her young son and her ex-husband.
An acquaintance of Miho Nakayama reportedly discovered her body after she failed to show up for work. Emergency responders were called, but the actress and singer was pronounced dead at the scene. The heartbreaking news was later confirmed on her official website.
BIG APPLE Inc., Nakayama’s agency, released a statement in Japanese on her site. After confirming her passing and the location where she was found, the agency expressed their sorrow, stating, “It is truly heartbreaking to share such sudden news with her devoted fans and everyone who has supported her over the years.”
The agency further stated, “We are profoundly shocked and saddened by this unexpected loss.” They also confirmed that an investigation into the cause of her death is ongoing.
Nakayama’s passing coincided with a concert she was scheduled to perform in. According to her official website, the actress and singer had been set to appear at a Christmas Concert at Billboard Live in Osaka. However, the event was canceled prior to her death due to an undisclosed health issue.
Concert ticket holders were notified that they would receive refunds for the canceled event. Nakayama’s final social media post, shared the day before her passing, has since drawn attention. On Instagram, she posted a photo of knitted artwork bearing the poignant message: “I have been to hell and back. And let me tell you, it was wonderful.”
In the caption, written in Japanese, she mentioned a recent visit to the Bourgeois exhibition, apologizing for the quality of her photo. She shared that her time at the exhibition, spanning two to three days, had deeply moved her.
Nakayama shared that the only person she could discuss the profound impact of the exhibition with was the friend who attended it alongside her. She added, “I’m not skilled at photography, but even if I were, there’s no way to truly capture what I felt.”
Nakayama initially gained fame as a singer during the 1980s and 1990s, a golden era for J-pop. Despite her musical success, she is perhaps best remembered for her dual roles as Itsuki Fujii and Hiroko Watanabe in the acclaimed 1995 film Love Letter.
In 2000, Nakayama played the role of Rieru Mashiro in the short-lived series Love 2000. She leaves behind a son, whom she had with her ex-husband, musician Hitonari Tsuji. The child is currently under his father’s care.
