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Miho Nakayama (中山 美穂, Nakayama Miho, 1 March 1970 – 6 December 2024) was a Japanese singer and actress. She made her debut in the 1985 drama Maido Osawagase Shimasu, where her performance led to instant stardom. Nakayama released her debut single, "C", shortly after, and finished the year with her film debut in the blockbuster Be-Bop High School. She became one of the most popular idols during its "Golden Age" in the 1980s. Nicknamed Miporin (ミポリン), Nakayama occasionally used the pseudonyms Mizuho Kitayama (北山 瑞穂, Kitayama Mizuho) or Issaque (一咲, Issaku) when she wrote song lyrics.
Nakayama received positive reviews for her lead roles in Love Letter (1995) and Tokyo Weather (1997).
Early and education
Miho Nakayama was born on 1 March 1970 in Saku, Nagano, Japan.[2]
After her mother remarried, her family moved to Koganei, Tokyo, where Nakayama attended Koganei Municipal Junior High School.[2]
Career
Miho Nakayama in 1986.
Singing
After a talent scout discovered her in Harajuku, Nakayama debuted on 21 June 1985 with her single "C", and with her starring role in the film Be-Bop High School.[3] Throughout her career as a singer and actress, she recorded 22 studio albums and scored eight No. 1 singles on Oricon charts, two of which sold over one million copies each. She also starred in a 1987 Famicom Disk Systemdating sim produced by Nintendo titled Nakayama Miho no Tokimeki High School, in which she played a high school student who tries to conceal her actual identity.[4]
By the 1990s, her artistry began to mature as she penned lyrics and recorded ballads, resulting in several platinum singles and her biggest sales: "Tōi Machi no Doko ka de..." (1991), "Sekaijū no Dare Yori Kitto" (1992) with Wands, and "Tada Nakitaku Naru no" (1994). Nicknamed Miporin (ミポリン), Nakayama occasionally used the pseudonyms Mizuho Kitayama (北山 瑞穂, Kitayama Mizuho) or Issaque (一咲, Issaku) when she wrote song lyrics.[5][3]
On 8 November 2021, Nakayama starred alongside King & Prince member Yuta Jinguji in the stage play Aoi no Ue/Yoroboshi (『葵上』『弱法師』, Lady Aoi/Weak Lawyer) at The Globe Tokyo. The play ran until December 5.[9][10]
From 1985, she was represented by Big Apple Co., Ltd.[11][12]
Awards
Nakayama was nominated for a Best Actress Japanese Academy Award in 1998 for her role in Tokyo Biyori,[13] and has appeared in numerous TV series including Love Story (2001).[14][better source needed]
Personal life
Nakayama's younger sister is Shinobu Nakayama, also an actress and retired pop singer.[3] She also has a younger brother named Tomoaki.[2]
Two years after her friend Yasuko Endō died by suicide, Nakayama wrote the lyrics and composed the music for the song, "Long Distance to Heaven," that she performed during a 1988 concert tour. A requiem for Endō, the song commemorated Endō's cancelled debut single "In the Distance." It was included in her July 1988 album Mind Game, and mentioned in her 1991 essay collection P.S. I Love You. Without specifying Endō's name, Nakayama wrote about her in her 2009 photo essay collection Nazenara Yasashii Machi ga Atta Kara.[15]
In 2002, Nakayama married musician Hitonari Tsuji after an eight-month relationship. They moved to Paris, where they had a son a year later.[3] In 2014, Nakayama and Tsuji divorced, and Nakayama moved back to Japan, with Tsuji retaining custody of their son.[1][2]
Death
Nakayama was found dead in her house by her staff in Ebisu, Shibuya, Tokyo, on 6 December 2024, at the age of 54.[16][17][18] Her Christmas show in Osaka had been scheduled for that day, but it had been canceled due to her poor health.[19] According to investigators, Nakayama's colleague visited her house after finding out that she did not show up for work that day.[20][21] Police later announced that they found no signs of foul play after conducting an autopsy, while agency Big Apple said in a statement that Nakayama died due to an accident while she was bathing.[22] The agency added that they are considering the possibility of hosting a public life celebration for Nakayama.[22] On 12 December, Nakayama's remains were cremated at a private funeral attended by her sister Shinobu.[23]
