On July 27, Japanese publisher Kodansha announced through its official website that Higashino passed away in the early hours of July 23. According to his family’s wishes, his funeral was held privately with close relatives. Despite undergoing treatment for colon cancer, Higashino continued writing until the end and had been preparing for the release of his new novel, Eternal Memory, which is scheduled to be published on August 5.

On the same day, actor Masaharu Fukuyama, who starred in Higashino’s popular Galileo series, shared a tribute on his social media account. He wrote, “As someone who lived within your stories and as one of your readers, I will continue carrying the life and stories you created with me forever,” expressing his deep sorrow. Actor Hiroshi Abe, who appeared in the Shinzanmono series, also released a statement through his agency. He said, “Appearing in one of Keigo Higashino’s works became a major turning point in my acting career. I am sincerely grateful for the opportunity to have worked with him. May he rest in peace.”

Haruka Ayase, the lead actress of the drama Byakuyako, described meeting the characters in Higashino’s work as “an irreplaceable treasure,” while paying tribute to the immense influence his stories had on countless readers. Actors Takuya Kimura and Masami Nagasawa, who starred in the Masquerade film series based on Higashino’s novels, also shared messages through their social media accounts. They recalled having the opportunity to speak with the author during a post-production gathering, where he told them, “I want to write books that everyone can enjoy.” They added, “We learned so much from his approach to storytelling. Thank you for leaving behind so many remarkable works.”

Born in 1958, the late Keigo Higashino graduated with a degree in electrical engineering before working as an engineer. While still employed, he wrote After School, which won the Edogawa Rampo Prize in 1985 and launched his career as a novelist. He later published internationally acclaimed works including The Devotion of Suspect X, Journey Under the Midnight Sun, The Miracles of the Namiya General Store, and Naoko. Many of his novels were successfully adapted into films and television dramas, including the Masquerade series, The Miracles of the Namiya General Store, and Shinzanmono, earning widespread popularity both in Japan and abroad.

Sources: Daum