27-Year-Old Japanese Gravure Idol Dies Just 5 Days After Retirement Announcement, Had Been Battling Illness

(Tokyo, 12th) Japanese gravure idol Aoi Fujino, who announced her retirement on December 31 last year, has reportedly passed away due to illness at the age of 27. Her mother later confirmed the heartbreaking news on social media, sharing that Fujino had been battling her condition and passed away on January 5.

According to overseas media reports, Fujino had appeared in numerous DVD releases and magazine features throughout her career. In her post, Fujino’s mother also shared some of her daughter’s works and expressed gratitude to everyone who had supported and cared for her.

Looking back, Fujino uploaded a handwritten letter on New Year’s Eve to announce her retirement. At the time, it was widely reported that her health had deteriorated to the point where she could no longer continue working while pretending everything was fine. Reports noted that her condition had worsened since around July last year. She initially hoped to say goodbye to fans through a livestream, but her health did not allow it, and she ultimately chose to farewell them through a letter instead.

Fujino debuted in 2020 and quickly gained popularity in the gravure scene. In 2023, she was diagnosed with a rare parapharyngeal space tumor and temporarily halted activities to undergo treatment. Although she returned briefly in 2024, her condition remained unstable, leading to her official retirement at the end of 2025. The recent news of her passing has left many fans saddened.