Hana Kimura tragically passed away on May 22, taking her own life after being bullied online.
Kimura, 22, starred in Japanese reality series Terrace House, which was the origin of the bullying. Kimura yelled at a housemate and slapped him for washing and shrinking her wrestling gear.
As a response to Kimura's death, Terrace House released a statement announcing they are shutting down production on the show, effectively canceling the season. There is no word if the show will return for future seasons.
The statement (translated via Google translate) reads, "This time, had appeared on the show, About the passing of Mr. Kimura Hana, I am very sorry for your loss. I would also like to express my deepest condolences to the families of the people of the family. With regard to "TERRACE HOUSE TOKYO 2019-2020", we have decided to discontinue production. We take this seriously and would like to continue to respond sincerely in the future."
尚「TERRACE HOUSE TOKYO 2019-2020」に関しましては、制作を中止する事を決定致しました。
— TERRACE HOUSE (@TH6TV) May 27, 2020
この度のことを重く受け止め、今後も真摯に対応して参りたいと考えております。
The final two episodes will not air as scheduled.
Also as a response to Kimura's death, Japan’s Minister of Internal Affairs and Communication, Sanae Takaichi, made a pledge on Tuesday to speed up government discussions regarding cyberbullying legislation. You can find more information by clicking here.
