singer Miho Nakayama found dead at Tokyo home

Miho Nakayama, a Japanese singer and actress who starred in a number of popular dramas and the critically acclaimed 1995 romantic film “Love Letter,” was discovered dead in her Tokyo home’s bathtub on Friday, according to investigative sources.

Police say that after the 54-year-old failed to appear at Shinagawa Station at 9 a.m., a representative of her agency and an acquaintance went to her home and found her body.

Nakayama was discovered sitting in a water-filled bathtub with her upper body leaned forward. Her house had a locked front door. According to the sources, foul play is not thought to be likely, and police are looking into how she died.

In Osaka, she was scheduled to play at a Christmas concert, later in the day, but her official website announced a cancellation, citing “health issues.” She last held a concert in Yokohama near Tokyo on Sunday.

“We are shocked and saddened by this unexpected development. In a statement, her agency stated that it was currently investigating the cause of her death as well as other details.

Nakayama began her acting career in 1985 with the television drama “Maido Osawagase Shimasu.” From the 1980s to the 1990s, she frequently starred in “trendy dramas” that emphasized romance and the prevailing fashions.

The actress, who is lovingly referred to as “Miporin,” began her musical career in 1985 with the single “C.”

Her 1986 single “Waku Waku Sasete” was one of many hit songs that helped her swiftly become an idol. She collaborated with rock band Wands on the 1992 single “Sekaiju no Dare Yori Kitto” (Surely More Than Anyone in the World), which sold 1.8million copies.

Her 1994 hit “Tada Nakitaku Naruno” (I Just Want to Cry) also sold over a million copies.

Nakayama won the Blue Ribbon Award for Best Actress for her performance in “Love Letter,” which also enjoyed great popularity in South Korea and elsewhere in East Asia.

Her former husband Hitonari Tsuji is a writer and musician.