Former Lower House lawmaker Yukiko Miyake was found dead in Tokyo several days ago, with police suspecting she might have killed herself, investigative sources said Monday.

Public broadcaster NHK said her family had reported her missing to police late last month, and that officers had found her body on a beach in Tokyo earlier this month.

Miyake, 54, was a TV reporter before she won her House of Representatives seat in the August 2009 general election. She was a member of the then-ruling Democratic Party of Japan.

As a DPJ candidate Miyake was supported by Ichiro Ozawa, a one-time power broker in national politics, who is now a member of the Democratic Party for the People.

Miyake was among female candidates handpicked by Ozawa for the election, who were dubbed the "Ozawa girls." After leaving the DPJ, she joined the People's Life First party which was established by Ozawa.

However, she failed to win re-election in 2012.