According to reports, Japanese actress Miho Nakayama has been found dead in the bathtub of her Tokyo home.
The 54-year-old was best known for her starring role in the 1995 film Love Letter and her success as a singer at the height of J-pop’s influence in the 1980s and 1990s.
After she failed to show up for work on Friday, a member of her team went to Ms Nakayama’s home and found her unconscious.
They called paramedics who confirmed her death at the scene, local media reported.
The star was scheduled to perform at a Christmas show in Osaka today, but it was canceled before the announcement of her death was made, citing ill health.
A statement published by her agency on its website confirmed her death. “We are stunned by the sudden event,” it said, adding that her cause of death was not confirmed.