Japanese actress and 80s pop idol Miho Nakayama dies suddenly at 54

Kyodo News reports that the Japanese actress and 1980s pop idol Miho Nakayama had passed at 54. However, the shocking circumstance of where she was found dead, along with her last post on social media, had led many to believe that the star had either been taken her own life, or died from unusual circumstances.

All images in this gallery are from _miho_nakayama_ / Instagram, unless otherwise stated.

Miho Nakayama was a Japanese actress and ex-pop idol who started off her career in J-entertainment in the 1980s.

Born on March 1, 1970 in Saku, Nagano, Japan, Miho Nakayama later moved to Tokyo after her mother had remarried, reports Entertainment Topics.

Sanspo reports that Miho Nakayama first entered into the entertainment world after she was scouted in Harajuku in Tokyo, which led to her entering the music scene after passing an audition with King Records and debuting her song, 'C', on June 21, 1985.

In that same year, in 1985, Sanspo reports that Miho Nakayama had also made her debut on the big and small screens and starred in the film 'Be-bop High School' and TV drama 'Please Trouble Me', respectively.

Image: Toei Company

Just in her debut year, where she showed her prowess as a singer and actress, Miho Nakayama had managed to win an award for 'Best New Artist' at the Japan Record Award, notes the same report from Sanspo.

Some of Miho Nakayama's most memorable songs include 'Tōi Machi no Doko ka de…', 'Sekaijū no Dare Yori Kitto', and 'Tada Nakitaku Naru no'.

What can be considered Miho Nakayama's most iconic achievement ever would be her acting work in the film 'Love Letter', where she gained huge attention and praise for her dual role in the film, which earned her multiple Best Actress awards, reports the BBC.

Image: Fine Line Features

Miho Nakayama was at the peak of her career in the 1980s, but she made the decision to retire from the life of a singer to focus more on acting.

However, Crank-in reported that Miho Nakayama had decided to sing again in 2019 and released a new album, 'Neuf Neuf', after 20 years.

Miho Nakayama was still active in the J-entertainment scene in 2024 and had also performed in Yokohama on December 1. She was supposed to be performing at a Christmas concert in Osaka and did not turn up the same day she passed on December 6, reports KyodoNews.

Kyodo News reported that initially, Miho Nakayama's official website had merely mentioned that she missed the concert in Osaka due to “health issues.” However, she was later found dead at home the same day, when an acquaintance came in to check on her.

Continuing from Kyodo News, Miho Nakayama was found “seated in a bathtub filled with water, with the front door of her home locked.” Japanese authorities are looking into her death, and many theories have come up on how she had passed.

According to the same Mirror report, various ideas have emerged about how Miho Nakayama died. Police are investigating whether she drowned, but others believe she died as a result of illness or an accident.

However, Sanspo reports that on the night of December 5, a day before her death, Miho Nakayama updated her Instagram with a picture of the work of the artist Louise Bourgeois, along with the caption “I've just come back from hell. “I have to tell you, it was wonderful.” Many netizens have found the post rather ominous given the post's content and timing.

The Japan Times reports that Miho Nakayama had been touring across Japan to prepare for the celebration of her 40 years in entertainment through an even bigger national tour, which was scheduled for next year.