Popular Japan Actor Haruma Miura Found Dead Allegedly Due to Suicide

People have been complaining a lot lately.

And who can blame them? With all the Covid-19 restrictions in place it feels like all the joy has been sucked out of our lives.

We can’t jet off to a foreign land for a relaxing holiday anymore, nor have a social gathering that doesn’t feel like a meeting for a group project.

Yet, we take for granted all the things we do have, like good mental and physical health. In troubled times, we often forget that there are people out there who have it much worse than we do.

Popular Japan Actor Haruma Miura Found Dead Allegedly Due to Suicide

Japanese actor Haruma Miura died yesterday (18 July), sending fans on social media into a tailspin.

According to The Straits Times, Miura was found hanging in his closet in his condominium in Tokyo.

He was only 30-years-old.

The Japanese actor had a lengthy career in film and television, making his stage debut at the age of four and television debut at seven.

Miura has featured in several popular films and TV shows such as Gokusen 3, Bloody Monday, and Attack on Titan.

He stars in the upcoming film Confidence Man JP, which is partially set in Singapore, reported The Straits Times. The film will be released in Singapore next week.

The 30-year-old also made his debut as a singer last year, and revealed on his 30th birthday a few months ago that he was releasing a second single called “Night Driver”, which contained three songs from different genres.

Allegedly Left A Suicide Note

Miura’s body was discovered by his manager, who had gone to check up on him after he failed to turn up for work. He was rushed to the hospital and was later pronounced dead.

An apparent suicide note was found in his room, according to Japan Today.

“To fans and people concerned, we apologize for the worry and the inconvenience caused, but as to details we are still confirming and will inform you once again,” Miura’s management agency Amuse said in a statement.

It’s unknown what caused him to make this decision.

Miura’s death comes just two months after Japanese professional wrestler Hana Kimura took her own life at the age of 22.

Kimura was reportedly a victim of cyber-bullying. The wrestler also starred in Netflix’s Terrace House, a popular reality drama that allegedly sparked the cyber-bullying, as she was deemed to be aggressive in the show.

However, it was later revealed by Kimura’s mother that the producers of Terrace House had allegedly asked Kimura to slap her co-star in the face.

The revelation was announced in an article by Japanese newspaper Asahi Shimbun, which Kimura’s mother reportedly talked to. It’s implied that her mother had made light of the issue even before her interview with the printed publication.

Apparently, Kimura had spoken to her eight days before her demise, stating that producers had urged her to slap her male housemate during the whole hostile ‘dining table’ scene.

The late star, however, decided to knock his hat off his head instead.  However, network representative Toru Ota has since denied the allegation at a news conference, stating that Hana had not been asked to slap anyone.

Suffering in Silence

The fact that so many celebrities have taken their own lives disproves the notion that wealth and success bring happiness, and shows that mental health is something we should take seriously.

Many people suffer in silence because mental health issues are often perceived as weaknesses, something you should just get over. 

But as any person who has suffered from mental illness will tell you, it’s as debilitating as any physical ailment.

Your friends and family may not always open up to you about these issues, but there are a few warning signs you can look out for:

• Excessive sadness or moodiness
• Hopelessness
• Sleep problems
• Sudden calmness: Suddenly becoming calm after a period of depression or moodiness can be a sign that the person has made a decision to end his or her life.
• Withdrawal: Avoiding social interactions.
• Changes in personality and/or appearance:  A person who’s considering suicide might suddenly become less concerned about his or her personal appearance.
• Dangerous or self-harmful behavior: Reckless driving, increased use of drugs and/or alcohol
• Recent trauma or life crisis: Crises include the death of a loved one or pet, divorce or break-up of a relationship, diagnosis of a major illness, loss of a job, or serious financial problems.
• Making preparations: This includes include visiting friends and family members, giving away personal possessions, making a will, or writing a note.
• Threatening or talking about suicide

According to WebMD, around 50 to 75% of those considering suicide will give someone – a friend or relative – an indication of their intent. These threats of suicide should always be taken seriously.

If you need someone to talk to, there are several hotlines which you can call, including a national one introduced recently:

National CARE Hotline: 6202-6868

Samaritans of Singapore: 1800-221-4444

Singapore Association for Mental Health: 1800-283-7019

Institute of Mental Health’s Mobile Crisis Service: 6389-2222

Care Corner Counselling Centre (Mandarin): 1800-353-5800