On June 3, 2019, Aoki was killed in a motorcycle accident when he collided with the side wall around the expressway of Kitanomaru Park in the Chiyoda ward of Tokyo.
He was 41 years old.

In a press conference in the days after the accident, All Japan Pro Wrestling president at the time, Jun Akiyama announced that the World Junior Heavyweight Championship was to be vacated at the end of the title's mandatory defence period, allowing Aoki to reign as de facto champion in honor of his contributions until late 2019, when the title would have been vacated for lack of defences.
On June 3, 2019, Aoki was killed in a motorcycle accident when he collided with the side wall around the expressway of Kitanomaru Park in the Chiyoda ward of Tokyo. He was 41 years old.
In a press conference in the days after the accident, All Japan Pro Wrestling president at the time, Jun Akiyama announced that the World Junior Heavyweight Championship was to be vacated at the end of the title's mandatory defence period, allowing Aoki to reign as de facto champion in honor of his contributions until late 2019, when the title would have been vacated for lack of defences.
Atsushi Aoki