Abroad
Japanese idol trainee, 8, dies of flu complication 5 days after performing
She died of myocarditis arising from the flu.
September 29, 2026, 12:08 PM
Photos via @dp_hinataluna/X.
An eight-year-old Japanese girl, Hirata, who was an idol trainee, died from myocarditis on Sep. 25 after contracting the flu.
She had been part of a Japanese pop idol agency, Dianna Project.
The entertainment agency posted a notice on its website on Sep. 28, announcing the eight-year-old's passing.
According to Sin Chew Daily, the girl was born on Apr. 16, 2018.
She had participated in performances on Sep. 20, just five days before her passing.
According to a post on her X account, she passed on Sep. 25 at around 4am.
After news of her passing was made public, Hinata's family wrote a post on social media thanking her fans and staff from the agency for their support, Sin Chew Daily reported.
The family shared that she had spent a third of her lifetime as a trainee and had cherished those around her.
They also expressed the hope that Hirata would remain in everyone's hearts as a "forever idol".
