Japanese Singer and Actor Miho Nakayama Passes Away at 54

Miho Nakayama, the celebrated Japanese singer and actor, best known for her role in the 1995 film Love Letter and her successful music career in the 1980s and 90s, has passed away at the age of 54. According to reports from the Japan Times, Nakayama was found dead at her home in Tokyo on Friday. The cause of death has not been confirmed, though her body was discovered in the bathtub, and her death was later confirmed by medical personnel.

Nakayama’s management company expressed deep sorrow over her sudden passing, stating, “It is with deepest regret that we have to make this sudden announcement to all those who have been involved with [Nakayama’s career] and to the fans who have supported her. We are still in the process of confirming the cause of death and other details.”

Born in 1970, Nakayama gained popularity in the 1980s with a string of successful J-pop singles and albums, including C, Be-Bop High School, and Tsuiteru ne Notteru ne. She expanded her career into acting, with her songs often featured as theme tunes for TV shows and films. In the 1990s, Nakayama transitioned to slower-paced ballads like Midnight Taxi and Sekaijū no Dare Yori Kitto. Her acting career reached new heights with her dual role in Love Letter, a film directed by Shunji Iwai, which became a major hit and was released internationally under the title When I Close My Eyes.

Nakayama’s acting continued to impress with roles such as in Tokyo Biyori, where she portrayed Yoko Araki, the wife of renowned photographer Nobuyoshi Araki. Her performance earned her a nomination for a Japanese Academy Award in 1998.

In 2019, Nakayama marked her return to music with her first studio album in two decades and appeared in Iwai’s Last Letter.