Japanese actor Ennosuke indicted over assisting in parents’ suicide

Ichikawa Ennosuke, a popular Japanese actor, has been indicted for allegedly assisting in his parents’ suicide in what is believed to have been a family suicide pact.

The prosecutors said on Friday that the actor reportedly gave his mother Nobuko, 75, and his father Hiroyuki, 76, an excessive amount of sleeping drugs on May 17. According to the indictment, they died due to overdose of sleeping drugs. Reportedly, the Japanese actor also intended to commit suicide. He was found collapsed alongside his parents on May 18.

Kabuki actor Ichikawa Ennosuke IV, 47, said that a weekly magazine report prompted them to commit suicide. Reportedly, the magazine published a report talking about Ennosuke’s alleged involvement in cases of bullying and sexual abuse. The report affected the entire family. He revealed, “A weekly magazine report prompted us to hold a meeting, and we decided to say goodbye.”

His parents died in a suicide pact. However, he was reportedly taken to the hospital. He was initially arrested on June 27 because of the death of his mother. Later on, he was served an arrest warrant on July 18 over the death of his father.

He took responsibility for his parents death. He said, “It is true I helped my parents commit suicide.” The actor said that they decided “to go to the next world.”

Ennosuke is extremely popular in the Kabuki world. He has acted in a lot of popular television series. He became popular for his role in one based on the manga “One Piece.” He also appeared in Hanzawa Naoki, which aired in 2020 on the TBS network. He has also appeared in a few Japanese films.

Ennosuke is also the cousin of Kagawa Teruyuki, a popular Japanese actor, kabuki actor, and boxing commentator, who is also facing sexual harassment allegations.