On December 6, 2024, reports revealed that "Love Letter" star Miho Nakayama was found dead in her Tokyo home. The Japanese actress, 54, was reportedly discovered in her bathtub.
Miho Nakayama posing for a photo on December 3, 2024
An acquaintance of Nakayama reportedly found her body after she didn't appear for work. The person called paramedics, but the singer was pronounced dead at the scene. The tragedy was later confirmed on her official website.
BIG APPLE Inc., Nakayama's agency, announced the news in Japanese on her website. After confirming her death and the location where she was found, the agency stated, "It is truly painful to deliver such sudden news to the concerned parties and fans who have supported her for so long."
Miho Nakayama at the Louis Vuitton Menswear Spring/Summer show at Paris Fashion Week on June 25, 2015, in Paris, France
They added, "We are deeply shocked and saddened by this unexpected event." It also noted that her death, including its cause, is currently under investigation. Nakayama's passing coincided with a concert she had been scheduled to participate in.
Her website disclosed that the actress and singer had been set to perform at a Christmas Concert at Billboard Live in Osaka. However, the event was canceled due to an unspecified health condition.
Miho Nakayama and Kim Jae-Uck during the opening ceremony of the 22nd Busan International Film Festival (BIFF) in Busan on October 12, 2017
Ticket holders for the concert were informed that they would receive refunds. Nakayama's final social media post was shared the day before her death. On Instagram, she posted an image of knitted artwork featuring the message, "I have been to hell and back. And let me tell you, it was wonderful."
In the caption, she wrote in Japanese, describing her recent visit to the Bourgeois exhibition and apologizing for the poor quality of her photo. She shared that her heart had been deeply moved during the two or three days she spent there.
Nakayama revealed that the only person she could talk to about the experience was the friend who accompanied her to the exhibition. She concluded, "I'm not good at photography, but even if I were, there's no way to truly express it."
The star rose to prominence as a singer during the 1980s and 1990s, a period marked by the peak of J-pop's influence. However, she is best remembered for her performances as Itsuki Fujii and Hiroko Watanabe in the 1995 film "Love Letter."
In 2000, she appeared as Rieru Mashiro in the short-lived series "Love 2000." The late actress is survived by her son, whom she shared with her ex-husband, fellow musician Hitonari Tsuji. The boy is currently in his father's custody.
AmoMama extends its condolences to Nakayama's family and loved ones. May she rest peacefully.
