It was revealed earlier today that popular actress and singer Miho Nakayama sadly passed away. She was 54. After she failed to show up for work, a person from her management agency visited her apartment in Tokyo’s Shibuya ward and discovered the Love Letter star lying in her bathtub. An emergency call was made at around noon today.
Paramedics confirmed she was dead at the scene. The Metropolitan Police Department and other authorities are investigating the circumstances surrounding her death. Nakayama had been scheduled to perform a Christmas show in Osaka today, but it was canceled before the announcement of her death due to her poor health.
Miho Nakayama: An Iconic Idol and Film Star
Born in Saku city, Nagano Prefecture on March 1, 1970, Nakayama was scouted in Tokyo’s famous Harajuku district in 1982. She made her television debut three years later in the drama Maido Osawagase Shimasu. Her performance in that series led to instant stardom and her first single, “C,” followed shortly after. At the end of the year, she made her silver screen debut in Hiroyuki Nasu’s blockbuster Be-Bop High School.
By the mid-late 1980s, Nakayama established herself as one of Japan’s most popular idols thanks to singles like “Waku Waku Sasete,” “50/50,” “Catch Me” and “You’re My Only Shinin’ Star.” Her music career continued to thrive in the 1990s, with tracks such as “Tōi Machi no Doko ka de…” and “Tada Nakitaku Naru no” topping the charts.
At the same time, Nakayama’s acting career continued to go from strength to strength. One of her most memorable on-screen performances was playing the dual role of Hiroko Watanabe and Itsuki Fujii in Shunji Iwai’s film Love Letter. It earned her Best Actress accolades at the Blue Ribbon Awards, the Yokohama Film Festival, and the Hochi Film Awards.
