Japanese wrestler and star of Netflix series Terrace House: Tokyo Hana Kimura has died at the age of 22.

The youngster had posted a series of alarming messages to social media in recent days, including an Instagram picture of her cuddling her cat alongside the caption: "Goodbye".

According to Variety, Kimura had also written on Twitter: "Nearly 100 frank opinions every day. I couldn't deny that I was hurt. I'm dead. Thank you for giving me a mother. It was a life I wanted to be loved.

"Thank you to everyone who supported me. I love it. I'm weak, I'm sorry. I don't want to be a human anymore. It was a life I wanted to be loved. Thank you, everyone. I love you. Bye."

While not confirming Kimura's cause of death, her wrestling company Stardom confirmed in a statement: "We are very sorry to report that our Hana Kimura has passed away.

"Please be respectful and allow some time for things to process, and keep your thoughts and prayers with her family and friends. We appreciate your support during this difficult time."

Kimura was still an active participant in the current season of Terrace House: Tokyo when production was suspended due to the coronavirus pandemic.