Japanese actress found dead at home

Award-winning Japanese actress Yuko Takeuchi has been found dead at her Tokyo home at the age of 40, the BBC reports.

Police have launched an investigation and suspect the mother of two took her own life, media reports say.

She is said to have been found by her actor husband Taiki Nakabayashi at their home in Shibuya Ward. Her death was confirmed at hospital.

Takeuchi was a well-known actress in Japan, having appeared in many films and TV series during her career.

She played a female Sherlock Holmes in the 2018 HBO series Miss Sherlock, which was broadcast in several countries including the US.

She also won best actress in a leading role category three years in a row, between 2004 and 2007, in the Japanese Academy Awards.