The parent firm of Japan's all-female musical theater company Takarazuka Revue on Thursday apologized to the family of one of its actresses who died after experiencing harassment from her seniors and theater officials.

The two sides have reached a broad agreement on various issues, including compensation, as the theater company admitted to 14 incidents of harassment, an official of Hankyu Hanshin Holdings Inc. said at a press conference held in Osaka Prefecture.

"We cannot give any excuse for what we have done considering the feelings of the bereaved family," Yasuo Shimada, the president of Hankyu Hanshin Holdings, told the press conference.

The 25-year-old actress was found dead on the premises of her condominium in Hyogo Prefecture, western Japan, on the morning of Sept. 30 in what police suspect was a suicide. Her family has since demanded an apology and compensation from Hankyu Hanshin Holdings.

The fifth meeting between the family and the parent company was held on March 15, with the company apparently conceding to the family.

It is significant that the Takarazuka side clearly admitted to many harassment incidents and apologized, a lawyer of the family said at a separate press conference in Tokyo.

In November, the theater company said that an investigation by an Osaka law firm could not confirm bullying or harassment but did acknowledge the psychological stress she suffered due to long working hours.

==Kyodo

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