Renowned Japanese actress Miho Nakayama passed away suddenly more than a year ago. Her body was discovered in the bathroom of her home in Tokyo by a colleague, sending shockwaves through Japan’s entertainment industry at the time.

On April 5, Starnews reported that Nakayama’s son has officially declined to inherit her estate, estimated at $12.5 million. The reason lies in Japan’s steep inheritance tax system, where his case could be subject to taxation as high as 55%.

Notably, this tax must be paid in cash within 10 months of the inheritance process and is not covered by the deceased’s estate. According to Japanese media, the young man likely does not have sufficient liquid assets to cover the tax, leading him to make the difficult decision to refuse the inheritance. He is the child from Nakayama’s previous marriage and is currently 22 years old, living in France following his parents’ divorce.

Previously, Nakayama Miho’s sudden passing in December 2024 deeply shocked both the media and the public. On the morning of December 6, 2024, a colleague visited her home after she failed to show up for work. Upon entering, the colleague found her unconscious in the bathtub and immediately contacted emergency services. By the time responders arrived, she had already passed away for some time.

Her agency quickly canceled all scheduled activities, and authorities later confirmed that the actress died due to an accidental incident while bathing.

Born in 1970, Nakayama Miho was one of Japan’s leading actresses and singers, beginning her career at just 15 years old. She earned titles such as “Nation’s Sweetheart” and “Queen of Japanese Dramas,” and was once voted the most beautiful woman in Japan.

Throughout her career, she gained widespread recognition for her leading role in the film “Love Letter” (1995), which brought her fame across Asia and earned her Best Actress awards at prestigious ceremonies such as the Blue Ribbon Awards, Hochi Film Awards, and Yokohama Film Festival. Three years later, she won Best Actress at the Television Drama Academy Awards for “Nemureru Mori”, where she starred alongside Takuya Kimura. She was also nominated for Best Actress at the Japan Academy Film Prize—often referred to as the “Japanese Oscars”—for her performance in “Tokyo Biyori.”

Sources: kenh14