In April 2017 he was hospitalized after feeling unwell while on a wrestling tour in Kitakyushu. Early reports indicated that he had been placed in a medically-induced coma after suffering a cardiac condition, but his family later released a statement on Akebono's website criticizing "misleading" articles and saying he was undergoing treatment "due to a right leg cellulitis and an infection." A family spokesperson thanked Akebono's fans for their support, saying "The number of messages from around the world has been overwhelming." The "Wrestling Observer Newsletter" reported that the original story was in fact correct and that the cellulitis claim was a cover story for a serious heart issue.