Miho Nakayama, one of Japan’s most beloved pop idols of the 1980s, who later earned acclaim as a dramatic actress, passed away on Friday at the age of 54. She was found in her Tokyo home, where she was discovered unresponsive in a bathtub. Her management company issued a statement confirming her death, noting that they were still investigating the cause and further details.
Nakayama had been scheduled to perform at a Christmas concert in Osaka on the same day but canceled her appearance citing health reasons, as reported by The Japan Times.
Known affectionately as Miporin, Nakayama made her explosive entry into Japan’s entertainment scene in 1985. That year, her debut single, “C,” shot her to fame, and she was honored with a Japan Record Award as Best New Artist. Her acting career followed quickly with notable roles in television and film, including the hit TV series Maido Osawagase Shimasu and the cult classic Be-Bop High School, a wild action-comedy set in a high school filled with brawling students.
As a member of the wave of rising teen idols in the mid-’80s, Nakayama starred in another iconic role in Sailor Fuku Hangyaku Doumei, a TV series that earned her a dedicated fan base. This was followed by other memorable performances in Mama wa Aidoru! and Kimi no Hitomi ni Koishiteru!, both of which cemented her place in Japanese pop culture.
However, it was her singing career that truly made her a superstar, with over 20 albums and numerous chart-topping hits like “Catch Me,” “You’re My Only Shinin’ Star,” and “Sekaiju no Dare Yori Kitto” (“More Than Anyone in the World”), recorded with the rock band Wands.
Nakayama’s transition to acting on the big screen also brought her global recognition. In 1995, she starred in Love Letter, a poignant drama directed by Shunji Iwai, which captivated audiences in Japan and beyond. The film, released internationally under the title When I Close My Eyes, saw Nakayama take on dual roles, a performance that earned her critical acclaim for her nuanced portrayal of a woman grieving a lost love.
Her acting talents also earned her a Japanese Academy Award nomination for her role in the 1997 biographical film Tokyo Biyori, where she portrayed Yoko Araki, the wife of renowned photographer Nobuyoshi Araki.
Miho Nakayama was born on May 4, 1970, in Saku, Nagano Prefecture, and grew up in Tokyo. She is survived by a son, from her marriage to writer and director Hitonari Tsuji, and by two siblings, including actress and former J-pop singer Shinobu Nakayama. After marrying Tsuji, Nakayama lived in Paris for a time before making her return to acting in 2010. In 2019, she released Neuf Neuf, her first album in over a decade.
The passing of Miho Nakayama marks the end of an era for Japanese pop and film, leaving behind a legacy of music, acting, and unforgettable moments that shaped the cultural landscape of the ’80s and ’90s.
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