Japanese Child Star Tragically Passes Away at Only Eight Years Old

Tragedy struck the family and fans of Hirata Runa. In a report from TMZ, the Japanese child pop star of the idol group DIANNA Project passed away at just eight years old. According to a representative from her X account, she died in her sleep at 4:00 am on September 25th. Moreover, the team expressed immense gratitude for everyone involved in her life and career.

“To all the fellow idols who were kind to Ruyu during her lifetime, to the fans who supported Ruyu, to everyone at the agency who made Ruyu an idol, and to all the people who were involved with Ruyu, thank you very much,” they shared.

According to a statement on the DIANNA Project website, Hirata Runa died battling the flu. But eventually, that sickness developed into myocarditis. The condition revolves around heart inflammation that causes insufficient blood to be pumped. Then, the heart would beat irregularly.

Additionally, the DIANNA Project team revealed that the funeral was already held privately among immediate family members. With the grief still fresh, they asked fans to have respect for the family during such a devastating time.

“Out of respect for the family’s feelings, we kindly ask that you refrain from making individual inquiries, seeking interviews, or posting questions on social media regarding this matter,” they concluded.

According to The Standard, Runa had just performed five days prior to her sudden death. Taking the stage was something she enjoyed most during her short life, spending a third of her life in the entertainment industry. Additionally, she held interactions with fans and the public at large very dear to her heart.

“One-third of Runa’s life was spent as an idol. She loved you all dearly. If possible, please let her remain—even just in a small corner of your hearts—as an eternal idol,” Hirata Luna’s family and team wrote on X. “On her behalf, I offer my heartfelt gratitude. Thank you so much for everything.”

Hirata Luna was famously a part of the DIANNA Project, a development agency based in Nagoya, Japan. There, they specialize in turning aspiring Japanese stars into full-blown idols. They currently manage groups like MERUCHU and Lovelys. In the past, they handled the operations for groups like DIANNA☆SWEET and PREDIANNA. Typically, they’ll work with young children, teenagers, or very young adults.