Miho Nakayama, J-pop star and actress who starred in 'Love Letter,' dead at 54
Miho Nakayama, a Japanese actress and singer who rose to stardom in the 1980s, was found dead in her home Friday. She was 54.
"We are deeply sorry to have to suddenly announce this to all the people involved who have always looked after her and to all the fans who have supported her, but this incident was so sudden that we, too, are shocked and saddened," her management agency, Big Apple Inc., wrote in a statement posted to her website and translated into English.
The statement revealed that the cause of death, which they declined to share, was being investigated.
Paste BN has reached out to Nakayama's representatives for additional comment.
Both parts pop star and leading lady, Nakayama gained critical acclaim with her 1995 film "Love Letter," which followed a grieving widow as she sent letters to her deceased fiancé and unexpectedly received replies. She won best actress for her performance in the film at both the Blue Ribbon Awards in Japan and the Hochi Film Awards the following year.
Her music, which relied on a dance-heavy sound, catapulted her to fame in the 1980s, making her one of the most beloved J-pop teen stars during its heyday.
J-pop (or Japanese pop) has not reached the same level of crossover success as K-pop has, but did, along with other strains of the country's culture, enjoy heightened influence in the 1980s and '90s.
Nakayama had originally been scheduled to perform a Christmas show in Osaka on Friday, but canceled her appearance, citing poor health, according to a previous statement posted to her website Friday.
She is survived by one son, who she shared with her ex-husband, musician Hitonari Tsuji.