2023-11-17 23:10:30
One of Japan’s most famous traditional theater actors was sentenced this Friday, November 17, to three years in suspended prison for assisting in the suicide of his parents, the Tokyo court indicated.
Ichikawa, 47, is a star of classical Japanese theater, known as “kabuki,” and has performed in London, Amsterdam and Paris.
This photo taken on July 31, 2023 shows Japanese Kabuki actor Ennosuke Ichikawa, accused of helping his parents commit suicide, leaving the Harajuku station of the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department. | Photo: AFP
According to the local press, the actor informed his parents of his intention to take his life, following being informed of the publication of an article accusing him of sexual harassment and assault in a tabloid newspaper.
Before the incident, Ennosuke searched for ways to kill himself on the Internet and went to his parents to tell them of his plans. He crushed sleeping pills, dissolved them in glasses of water and gave them to his parents. He then covered his parents’ heads with plastic bags, according to the investigation.
Ennosuke denied asking his parents to die with him, saying his mother told him “there’s no way I can let you go alone,” a position he claims his father agreed with.
Ichikawa stated that he feels “indescribable guilt,” according to a statement published following learning of the decision. “I thought he would leave deep scars on the tradition and culture of ‘kabuki’” because of the article’s accusations, he said.
Ichikawa, one of Japan’s best-known kabuki actors, was found collapsed in his home with his parents. | Photo: AFP
“Suicidal” feelings
Ennosuke said he had struggled with depression at various stages of his life. In court, he noted that he had felt “useless” and “better off dead.” “Not a day goes by that I don’t think regarding the decision I made that day. I regret that I was the only one who survived, while my parents died,” he added.
“It would be a lie if I said I no longer have suicidal feelings, but they have faded a little. If I have such feelings, I will consult with the doctor at the hospital. “I cannot live alone, so from now on I will consult with those who have supported me,” Ennosuke confessed when the trial began.
He also stated that due to his personality and the way he was raised, it is difficult for him to open up to people and he tends to be reserved. However, he vowed to change that trend following being scolded by people around him. Although on July 31, Ennosuke was released on bail of 5 million yen, the trial took a turn and he will be sent to prison.
The kabuki actor began his career in the early 1980s and became an important figure in the world of kabuki. He has also appeared in several popular television series. During the trial, he expressed his hope to continue his career as a kabuki actor. “Since I was young, kabuki has been my existence,” he said, adding that if you can’t perform kabuki, there’s no point in existing.
Production company Shochiku, which organized many ‘kabuki’ shows with Ichikawa, stated that nothing has yet been decided regarding his possible return to theaters. Ichikawa, whose real name is Takahiko Kinoshi, debuted in kabuki theater in the 1980s and became one of the most famous actors in the country.
*With information from AFP.
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