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Kabuki actor Ichikawa Ennosuke IV (real name: Takahiko Kinoshi) was indicted on Friday for allegedly assisting in his parents’ double suicide on May 17-18. Prosecutors believe it was part of a family suicide pact.
On May 17, Ennosuke allegedly gave his parents excessive sleeping drugs, which led to their deaths, before collapsing himself. Ennosuke’s manager found their bodies at their home in Tokyo around 10: 15 a.m. on May 18. Although Ennosuke’s parents had already passed, Ennosuke was found “conscious but in a hazy condition,” and taken to the hospital. According to investigative sources, Ennosuke had also attempted to commit suicide.
On the day of the incident, a weekly magazine had published a report about Ennosuke’s alleged involvement in bullying and sexual abuse, some involving actors and theater staff. According to The Mainichi, Ennosuke told an investigative source, “A weekly magazine report prompted us to hold a family meeting, and we decided to say goodbye.”
Ennosuke was arrested on June 27 on suspicion of assisting in his mother’s death. He was served another arrest warrant on July 18 on suspicion of assisting in his father’s death as well. His father was also a kabuki actor under the name Ichikawa Danshiro.
Ennosuke has performed in kabuki plays for and . He was also in the live-action mini-series of (). He had announced that would be involved in a production based on in 2024.
Source: The Mainichi
