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Child pop star Hirata Runa dies at age 8
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A Japanese child pop star has tragically died at the age of eight, according to a statement on her social media accounts.
Hirata Runa, who was a trainee of the Japanese girls’ idol group DIANNA Project, 'passed away peacefully' on September 25, according to a statement released this week.
After her last performance on September 20, as reported by The Standard, Runa's team wrote to fans: "Thank you for today too, I appreciate it. It was so much fun."
Eight days on, her team took to her account, stating: "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."
Full statement from Runa's team
The sad announcement was posted on DIANNA Project's website, and it read: "We sincerely thank you for your continued support of the DIANNA Project.
"We regret to inform you that Runa Hirata, a trainee with the DIANNA Project in Nagoya, has passed away due to myocarditis resulting from influenza.
"We would also like to inform you that, in accordance with the wishes of her family, the wake and funeral were held privately, attended only by close relatives.
"We would like to express our deepest and heartfelt gratitude to all the fans who have supported Runa Hirata, as well as to everyone involved who has supported her throughout her activities.
"Out of consideration for the feelings of her bereaved family, we respectfully ask that you refrain from making individual inquiries or requests for interviews regarding this matter, as well as from posting questions about it on social media," they concluded.
Her team also took to X, writing: "We deeply apologize for this sudden report. Ryusei Hirata passed away peacefully around 4:00 a.m. on September 25."
They added: "One-third of Ruseven's life was spent as an idol. Ruseven loved everyone dearly. If possible, please let her remain in a corner of your hearts as an eternal idol. On behalf of the person herself, I sincerely thank you. Thank you so much for everything until now."
Myocarditis explained
The health condition is the inflammation of the middle muscular layer of the heart wall, known as the myocardium.
Myocarditis can weaken the heart and its electrical system, as per the American Heart Association.
This means that the heart's ability to pump blood is reduced.
They explain that the condition can be acute, but it can also be subacute or chronic, lasting several months, while more severe cases can lead to heart failure or death.
Viral infection, such as the flu, or bacterial infection, such as strep, can lead to myocarditis.