Photo/Illutration Actor Haruma Miura in 2019 (Photo taken by Ken Murakami)

In a rare move by a major entertainment company, the agency representing the late actor Haruma Miura is naming and shaming the media spreading misinformation online about the circumstances surrounding his death.

Miura, a popular actor best known for his roles in live-action film adaptations of the popular manga series "Attack on Titan" and "Kimi ni Todoke: From Me to You," killed himself last year. He was 30.

His agency, Amuse Inc., listed on its official website some of the online media, including e-books and social media posts, being used to spread unfounded rumors about his death, including a blog post alleging that he was killed by the CIA.

The list was updated on April 27 to include an e-book published by a person who claims to be a relative of Yuko Takeuchi, an award-winning actress who also died last year in an apparent suicide.

A senior official of another major entertainment agency was surprised at the latest move, saying it is rare for a talent agency to criticize the media spreading baseless rumors by name on its official website before it asks them to delete the information or files lawsuits against them.

“There are many legal hurdles in dealing with defamation of deceased people because personal rights are inalienable,” said Kenta Yamamoto, a lawyer well-versed in defamation issues. “That’s why the agency may have first resorted to these measures (of naming the media spreading misinformation).”

Amuse said that the theories spreading online are based on groundless rumors. In a statement posted on its website on April 27, the agency said it stands firmly against those spreading misinformation and urged fans not to buy those works or help spread the theories.

Amuse consulted the police, asked the publishers to delete the media content and requested internet service providers to disclose information on who posted the false rumors, according to sources close to the agency. It is also involved in multiple ongoing trials over the matter, the sources said.