Actor Yuko Takeuchi dies by suicide at age 40 in latest Japanese celebrity to have killed themselves
Japanese actress Yuko Takeuchi was reportedly found dead at her home in Tokyo early on Sunday, September 27. While she left no note to indicate as such, per news reports, she died of suicide. Takeuchi was reportedly found hanging by her husband, actor Nakabayashi Taiki, and was later confirmed dead at hospital. She was 40 at the time of her death. Takeuchi’s demise follows other recent suicides by well-known Japanese actors, including Ashina Sei earlier this month, and Miura Harumi in July, and wrestler and reality TV star Kimura Hana in May.
Japan has one of the highest suicide rates in the world. Although, as per reports, these rates have been falling in recent years.A total of 20,169 people died by suicide in Japan in 2019, according to statistics released by the National Police Agency, which noted a decrease of 617 from the previous year. It was the lowest figure since the police began compiling nationwide figures annually in 1978. The highest number of suicides recorded in Japan was 34,427 in 2003, after more than a decade’s worth of economic stagnation that had hit business owners particularly hard.
The Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department has launched an investigation and suspects that Takeuchi took her own life. “It came all of a sudden, and we are all stunned and saddened by the news,” her talent agency, Stardust Promotion Inc., said to the press, adding that it is examining the details of the incident.
Born in Saitama Prefecture, located in the Kantō region of Honshu, in 1980, Takeuchi made her television debut for Fuji TV with ‘Cyborg’ in 1996. She rose to fame for her role in the 1999 NHK drama series called ‘Asuka’, and the TBS drama series ‘Shiroi Kage’ in 2001. Takeuchi made her film debut in 1998 with the horror-thriller ‘Ring’. Her first lead role in films came with ‘Innocent World’ the same year.
Takeuch’s fame rose in the following two decades, and she garnered acclaim for her roles in ‘The Triumphant Return of General Rouge’, ‘Miss Sherlock’, ‘Dog In the Sidecar’, ‘Cape Nostalgia’, and more. Takeuchi also was the face of many ad campaigns, which included brands like Panasonic, Suntory, and Shiseido. Her most recent film was ‘The Confidence Man JP: Princess’, which released in July this year.
Takeuchi received a number of film awards in Japan including the Japanese Academy Film Prize for outstanding performance by an actress in a leading role. She also won the Japan Movie Critics Award for Best Actress, and the Television Drama Academy Award for Best Actress.
Outside of Japan, she enjoyed success and popularity in China and South Korea as well. Some of her more noted roles from these regions include shows like ‘Lunch no Joō’ and ‘Pride’, and the film ‘Going to Meet Now’. Takeuchi is survived by a son, who was born in 2008 to her marriage with kabuki star Shido Nakamura. She is also survived by Nakabayashi, who she married in 2019, and a second son, who was born in January this year.