Actress Miho Nakayama’s ‘possible cause of death has been revealed by police’ as chilling latest Instagram post emerges: Love Letter star dubbed ‘Japan’s most beautiful woman’ is found dead in bath at 54

Police investigating the death of Japanese actress Miho Nakayama after she was found unconscious in the bathtub of her Tokyo home have revealed a possible cause of death, according to reports.

The 54-year-old was found upright and bent over in the bath, with the Metropolitan Police Department saying there was a possibility her death was an accident or illness, according to local media.

Ms. Nakayama, affectionately known as “Miporin” to her fans, is best known for her starring role in the 1995 film Love Letter, a film that garnered international acclaim and earned her several Best Actress awards.

She was widely considered Japan’s most beautiful woman at the height of her career in the 1980s and 1990s, winning fans as the star of numerous popular TV shows and also as a J-pop singer..

Loyal fans continued to attend her shows and today she was scheduled to perform at a Christmas event in Osaka. The show was canceled before the announcement of her death was made, citing ill health as the reason.

When she failed to show up for work, 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.

She was reportedly in touch with her team last night and yesterday posted a photo on Instagram of a modern art exhibition she said she had visited in recent days.

The post features a work by French artist Louise Bourgeois – a piece of material embroidered with the words ‘I’ve been to hell and back. And I can tell you: it was great’.

In the last post, the actress wrote, “I was so depressed for a few days that I could only talk to the friend I went with.”

The message shows a work by Louise Bourgeois – a piece of cloth embroidered with the words ‘I’ve been to hell and back. And I can tell you: it was great’

The 54-year-old was best known for his starring role in the 1995 film Love Letter

A statement published by her agency on its website confirmed her death this morning.

“We are stunned by the sudden event,” it said, adding that her cause of death was not confirmed.

Fans who were waiting to attend her concert were emotional when news of her death emerged.

A woman in her 50s who was supposed to attend the event spoke out NHK: ‘I liked her since I was a teenager. She was always bubbly and beautiful, and I have many memories of imitating her hairstyle.

“I can’t believe she died, and I want to see her again.”

Another woman said of her idol: ‘She was the same age as me, and she was a great source of strength for me.

“I can’t put it into words, so I’m very sad and disappointed that she passed away. I want to say to her: ‘Thank you for everything.’

Ms Nakayama is survived by a son, whom she shared with her ex-husband, the musician Hitonari Tsuji, and whom he has in custody.

Love Letter (1995) gained international fame and won her several best actress awards

Ms Nakayama was pictured with Korean actor and model Kim Jae-Wook in 2017

The couple married in 2002 and moved to Paris, where Ms. Nakayama took a break from her career and spent much of her time out of the public eye.

She later returned to Japan and resumed her career, including in a film in 2010.

The popular star made her acting debut in 1985, aged just 14, in a comedy about high school students called Maido Osawagaseshimasu.

She went on to appear in a series of TV shows and films, such as A Sleeping Forest (1998) alongside heartthrob Takuya Kimura.

It is widely believed that her biggest film success is Love Letter, which tells the story of a grieving widow who writes letters to a stranger living at her deceased fiancé’s address.

As a singer, she won the Japan Record Award for Best New Artist for her debut song and had major hits with songs such as Tada Nakitaku No and Sekaijuu no Dare Yori Kitto, which she sang in collaboration with the rock band Wands.