Kanehiro Ono, the husband of actress Mayumi Wakamura and head of the religious group Shakusonkai, died of liver failure at home on Wednesday afternoon. He was 54.

Ono's health began showing signs of suffering around February, said to be caused by overworking himself. On Wednesday, his condition took an unexpected turn for the worse, and he passed away a few hours later.

Wakamura and Ono married in September 2003.