Japan

Japanese Actress Yuko Takeuchi Dead at 40, Reports Say

The Japan Times reports the star was found dead by her husband, actor Nakabayashi Taiki, in their Tokyo apartment on Sunday, Sept. 27

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Japanese Actress Yuko Takeuchi has died, according to multiple reports.

The Japan Times reported the star was found dead by her husband, actor Nakabayashi Taiki, in their Tokyo apartment on Sunday.

Per the publication's sources, the actress was transported to a nearby hospital where she was confirmed dead.

According to The Japan Times, the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department has launched an investigation surrounding Takeuchi's death. However, the local authorities said they believe she took her own life. The outlet noted a suicide letter hasn't been discovered.

"It came all of a sudden, and we are all stunned and saddened by the news," her talent agency, Stardust Promotion Inc., said in a statement to the local paper.

The actress was 40 years old and a mother to two kids. She shared a son with her ex-husband, Nakamura Shido, and welcomed a baby boy earlier this year with Taiki.

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E! News has reached out to Stardust Promotions Inc. and the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department for comment.

Takeuchi made her feature film debut in the 1996 drama "Cyborg." She would go on to star in countless film and television projects that would earn her a number of awards and recognition.

She starred in Japanese shows such as "Romance and Pride," "Miss Sherlock," "Queen," "Innocent Days" and others. She also appeared in Japanese films like "Midnight Eagle," "Cape Nostalgia," "The Magnificient Nine," "Ringu," which inspired the 2002 horror film "The Ring," and more.

Takeuchi was nominated for the Japanese Academy Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role three years in a row, beginning in 2004.

Her last film project was the comedy "The Confidence Man JP: Princess," which released in July 2020.

If you or someone you know are in crisis, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-8255 or reach out to the Crisis Text Line by texting ‘Home’ to 741741.

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