Prominent Japanese actor-model-singer Mizuki Itagaki has been found dead at the age of 24. The former member of the dance and vocal group M!LK had gone missing since January as he was struggling with mental health issues for almost a year.
On Thursday, April 17, Mizuki's family announced the tragic demise of the Ao Haru Ride star, who played the character of the young Kou Mabuchi in the renowned live action, on his official Instagram account.
The family shared a note stating, "We're very sorry to share that actor Itagaki Mizuki has passed away due to an unfortunate incident."
Expressing their gratitude, they wrote, "To all the fans who supported him with so much warmth, and to everyone who worked with him, we're truly grateful from the bottom of our hearts."
"Since the end of January, Mizuki had been missing due to struggles with mental health issues he had been dealing with since last year. The police and others continued the search, and just recently, we were contacted by the Tokyo police that his body had been found in the city," the post added.
The family apologized for not sharing the news earlier and said, "We're really sorry for not being able to share this news sooner with everyone who had been worried about him. Mizuki always worked hard with the hope of bringing smiles and joy to everyone through his acting. He had just started taking steps toward returning to work, so it's heartbreaking that his life ended like this, something even he probably never expected."
"To everyone who supported him during his life, we're so sorry we couldn't give you a proper goodbye and have to tell you like this. We hope you'll continue to remember Mizuki and the work he did with warmth in your hearts. Thank you so much for all your love and support," the statement concluded.
Last year in March, Itagaki Mizuki announced his departure from Stardust Promotion and had closed his official fan club.
