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TOKYO, Sept. 28 (AFP): The Japanese government on Monday urged people to seek help if they were struggling to cope, following the death of a popular actress over the weekend.
The death of “Miss Sherlock” star Yuko Takeuchi (Photo), 40, shocked the nation and follows other recent cases of Japanese celebrities taking their own lives, with figures showing a recent spike in suicides.
Takeuchi was a household name in Japan and she had given birth to her second child in January.
Chief Cabinet Secretary Katsunobu Kato did not mention a particular case, but noted that some people were struggling to cope with the coronavirus crisis.
“There has been an increase in the number of suicide cases since July. We have to acknowledge the fact that so many people are taking their precious lives,” said Kato, who was Minister of Health until earlier this month.
He urged the public to use suicide prevention hotlines and other services.
Takeuchi played the title role in the 2018 Hulu-HBO Asia series “Miss Sherlock,” and also had a minor role in the 1998 Japanese horror classic “Ring.”
In early September, popular Japanese actress Sei Ashina died in an apparent suicide, and actor Haruma Miura is also believed to have taken his own life in July.
Reality star Hana Kimura, 22, of the Netflix show “Terrace House,” also apparently died in May following the online abuse, making international news.
In August, Japan saw nearly 1,900 suicides, 15.3 percent more than the previous year.
In the first half of the year, there was a drop in the number of suicides and in 2019 the figure fell to a record low, which non-governmental groups attributed to increased efforts on the issue. – AFP
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