Japanese Actress Yuko Takeuchi Dies At 40 In Apparent Suicide

Yuko Takeuchi, an award-winning Japanese actress who starred in “Ringu” and the Hulu and HBO Asia drama “Miss Sherlock,” was found dead in her Tokyo residence on Sunday, Sept. 27. She was 40.

Police have launched an investigation and suspect that the actress took her own life, The Japan Times reported. Takeuchi was found by her husband, actor Taiki Nakabayashi, in their bedroom at their Shibuya Ward apartment.

As of late, no suicide note has been found. The Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department is investigating her death.

Takeuchi’s talent agency, Stardust Promotion, was left “stunned” by the news of the actress's demise.

“It came all of a sudden, and we are all stunned and saddened by the news,” The Japan Times quoted Stardust Promotions as saying.

Born in 1980, Takeuchi started her professional career in the year 1998 with the movie “Ringu.” The film went on to become one of the biggest hits of that year and was acclaimed by critics as well as audiences.

The film inspired numerous follow-ups in the “Ring” franchise and popularized the genre of J-horror globally. It also triggered a trend of Western remakes, starting with the 2002 Hollywood film “The Ring.”

However, her moment of glory came in 1999 with a TV series called “Asuka.” Takeuchi was praised for her acting skills and became a household name in Japan.

The actress received a number of awards during her illustrious career and was considered to be one of the biggest stars in Japan. According to Kyodo News, Takeuchi won the Japanese Film Academy prize for outstanding performance by an actress in a leading role for three consecutive years.

Takeuchi is also known for portraying the character of iconic detective Sherlock Holmes in the hit TV series “Miss Sherlock.” The series came out in 2018 and was released in collaboration between HBO Asia and Hulu.

Earlier this month, actress Sei Ashina was also found dead in her apartment. Law enforcement authorities have already confirmed that the actress took her own life at the age of 36, Variety reported.