Japanese actress Yuko Takeuchi dies in apparent suicide: media

Japanese star actress Yuko Takeuchi, 40, was found dead at her residence in Tokyo, the result of an apparent suicide, Japanese media reported Sunday. 

The actress was found hanging by the neck at her home in the capital city and was then rushed to a hospital, where she was confirmed dead, according to the reports. 

Tokyo's Metropolitan Police Department has launched an investigation and suspects that Takeuchi committed suicide. 

In 1996, Takeuchi made her television debut for Fuji TV with "Cyborg" and rose to fame for her role as a nurse in the TBS drama "Shiroi Kage" in 2001. 

Her film debut came in 1998 with the thriller "Ring." She had her first lead role in the film "Innocent World" the same year. 

She has garnered a number of television and film awards in Japan, including the Japan Movie Critics Award for Best Actress and the Television Drama Academy Award for Best Actress. 

Takeuchi enjoyed great popularity not only in Japan but also in China and South Korea with the hit dramas "Lunch no Joō" (2002) and "Pride" (2004), as well as the movie "Going to Meet Now" (2005). 

The actress married Kabuki star Shido Nakamura in 2005 and gave birth to their eldest son in the same year, but divorced in 2008. 

In 2019, she married actor Taiki Nakabayashi, and gave birth to her second baby boy in late January this year.