Japanese voice actress Sumire Uesaka has cancelled her public appearances in Kyoto after receiving death threats from unknown senders, according to local news reports.
Her talent agency, Voice Kit, said it received messages from unidentified individuals threatening to kidnap the 34-year-old performer and kill her before September 27. The warnings were first reported by the news outlet Japan Today.
According to the agency, the authors of the letters claimed to know Uesaka's residential address and indicated that they intended to use that private information during the planned abduction.
The threats forced Uesaka to cancel her planned attendance at the Kyoto International Manga and Anime Fair, which was scheduled to run on September 19 and September 20. She had been scheduled to appear at a stage session promoting the television series Alya Sometimes Hides Her Feelings in Russian, in which she voices the lead character.
Police Investigation Underway
Japanese police are currently investigating the matter in an effort to identify who sent the threats. Law enforcement authorities were contacted after Voice Kit confirmed receipt of the letters.
The Kyoto International Manga and Anime Fair, commonly known as KyoMAF, is one of the most prominent annual pop-culture conventions in western Japan. Held in Kyoto, the country's former imperial capital, the gathering attracts tens of thousands of animation enthusiasts, comic creators, and commercial exhibitors every autumn.
Public stage sessions featuring celebrity voice performers are a central feature of such gatherings. Voice actors in Japan, known locally as seiyuu, command large fanbases and frequently make live public appearances that resemble those of pop idols, taking part in panel discussions, fan meetings, and promotional tours.
Prominent Voice Acting Career
Uesaka is one of the most recognisable performers working in the modern Japanese animation industry. Over a career spanning more than a decade, she has voiced prominent roles in numerous popular anime series, including the military comedy Girls und Panzer and the fantasy adventure In Another World With My Smartphone.
Her role as the title heroine in Alya Sometimes Hides Her Feelings in Russian brought widespread attention from anime audiences. Uesaka studied the Russian language and culture at Sophia University in Tokyo, a background that made her uniquely suited to voice a high school student who frequently speaks Russian.
In addition to her voice work, Uesaka is an established recording artist and radio host who has released multiple solo albums and singles. Voice Kit has not indicated when the actress will resume public engagements, as police inquiries into the origin of the threats remain ongoing.
