Photo/Illutration Kabuki actor Ichikawa Ennosuke (Asahi Shimbun file photo)

Popular Kabuki actor Ichikawa Ennosuke told police that he and his parents decided to commit suicide together rather than endure the shame of a ruinous scandal after a weekly magazine came out with a story accusing him of sexual abuse and power harassment.

“After I told my parents that a weekly magazine will carry an article about me, we agreed that the three of us would go to the next world,” the 47-year-old actor said during questioning by Tokyo’s Metropolitan Police Department, according to investigative sources.

He made the comment following his June 26 arrest on suspicion of helping his mother commit suicide by giving her his prescription sleeping pills, the sources added.

Police also learned that he went online for information on suicide until the day before the family tragedy came to light in mid-May.

The MPD decided that the fact the weekly magazine spoke to Ennosuke about the story it was running, coupled with the scandal that would ensue, was enough to trigger the family suicide attempt.

Police believe the actor, whose real name is Takahiko Kinoshi, gave his mother sleeping pills at their home in Tokyo’s Meguro Ward between 5 p.m. on May 17 and 10 a.m. on May 18, resulting in her death from psychotropic drug poisoning.

Both his parents were found May 18 lying on the floor of the living room covered by futon.

His Kabuki actor father, Ichikawa Danshiro, 76, is also believed to have died from psychotropic drug poisoning.

Ennosuke was found in a dazed state in his semi-basement room of the home with an apparent suicide note.

The MPD is also looking into whether Ennosuke helped his father commit suicide, too.

On the morning of May 18, a weekly magazine reported in print and online that actors in the Kabuki community had complained of harassment from Ennosuke.

The article said the magazine had contacted Ennosuke for comment about the scandal.

According to investigative sources, Ennosuke told police after his arrest, “The prospect that an article on power harassment and sexual harassment involving me will be published in a weekly magazine was one, big trigger (to attempt suicide).”

During a search of data stored in his smartphone, police found that he was searching online for suicide-related information, including sleeping pills, until May 17.

(This article was written by Yuji Masuyama and Minami Endo.)

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