Japanese struggling to cope urged to seek help after death of actress Yuko Takeuchi

The death of Takeuchi shocked the nation and follows other recent cases of Japanese celebrities taking their lives
In August, Japan saw nearly 1,900 suicides, up 15.3 per cent from a year earlier

Japan

Agence France-Presse

Published: 4:30pm, 28 Sep 2020

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Japan’s government on Monday urged people to seek help if they were struggling to cope, following the death at the weekend of a popular actress.

The death of Miss Sherlock star Yuko Takeuchi, 40, shocked the nation and follows other recent cases of Japanese celebrities taking their lives, with figures showing a recent rise in suicides.

Takeuchi was a household name in Japan and had given birth to her second child in January.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Katsunobu Kato did not mention a particular case, but noted some people were struggling to cope during the coronavirus crisis.

Hana Kimura killed herself after producers ‘stoked’ conflict: mother

“There has been an uptick in the number of suicide cases since July. We have to acknowledge the fact that so many people are ending their precious lives,” said Kato, who was health minister until earlier this month.

He urged the public to use suicide prevention hotlines and other services.

Takeuchi played the lead in the 2018 Hulu-HBO Asia series Miss Sherlock, and also had a minor part in the 1998 Japanese horror classic Ring.

Earlier in September, popular Japanese actress Sei Ashina died in an apparent suicide, and actor Haruma Miura is also thought to have taken his own life in July.

Japanese reality TV show star Hana Kimura died in an apparent suicide in May. Photo: Twitter

Reality TV show star Hana Kimura, 22, from the Netflix show Terrace House, also apparently died in May following online abuse, making international headlines.

In August, Japan saw nearly 1,900 suicides, up 15.3 per cent from a year earlier.

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 increasing efforts on the issue.

If you are having suicidal thoughts, or you know someone who is, help is available. For Hong Kong, dial +852 2896 0000 for The Samaritans or +852 2382 0000 for Suicide Prevention Services. In the US, call The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline on +1 800 273 8255. For a list of other nations’ helplines, see this page.

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