TOKYO (Kyodo) – Japanese actress and singer Sayaka Kanda has died after apparently falling from a height at a hotel in Sapporo, northern Japan, her office said on Sunday.
Kanda, known to have played the main character Anna in the Japanese dubbed version of the Disney animated film “Frozen”, was found on Saturday around 1 pm, lying in an outdoor area on the 14th floor of the hotel. 22 floors where she was staying.
Police are investigating the case as a probable suicide, but have not ruled out foul play.
The 35-year-old daughter of actor Masaki Kanda, 70, and singer Seiko Matsuda, 59, was later confirmed dead in a hospital. Matsuda’s office said she was unable to come to terms with what had happened.
Sayaka Kanda did not show up for her performance in the musical “My Fair Lady” at a Sapporo theater on Saturday afternoon, but was at a rehearsal on Friday, the producers said.
She had been starring in musicals since she was around 20 years old and was due to play the role of Maetel in the musical “Galaxy Express 999” next April.
Kanda married in 2017 but divorced two years later.
Takako Matsu, who voiced Elsa in the Japanese release of “Frozen,” posted on Disney’s official Twitter account that she was “speechless” after hearing the news, adding that “the time we spent together is an irreplaceable treasure for me “.
Amon Miyamoto, who directed the musical that was Kanda’s first performance on stage, said: “I feel really sad and regretful. She was just getting started and I wish she could have lived longer. long time.”
Health experts are calling on the public to calmly digest the news and avoid sharing it on social media.
According to a study by the Japan Suicide Countermeasures Promotion Center, the number of suicides in the country has risen rapidly in the 10 days since the death of a popular actor last year.
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Japan suicide prevention hotline with assistance in English
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