Ken Takakura, who has been hailed as the Japanese 'Clint Eastwood', succumbed to lymphoma while confined at a hospital in Tokyo. The veteran Japanese actor passed away on Nov. 10, but his office only broke the news of his death to the public on Tuesday. Takakura was 83.
Widely popular as the 'master of yakuza' roles, Takakura set himself apart with his own brand of brooding personality and stoic appearance. These qualities landed him numerous parts portraying Japanese yakuza and action-packed films.
One of his well-known films was 'Black Rain', where Takakura portrayed a hard-hitting cop. He starred in the 1989 movie with fellow veteran actor Michael Douglas. Another popular film featuring the Japanese actor was 'The Yellow Handkerchief'. However, it was his superb acting in the movie 'Poppoya' or 'The Railway Man' that gave him the best actor award during the Montreal World Film Festival.
Japan deeply mourned the loss of one of its most highly acclaimed artists. In a tweet posted by the Asahi Shimbun, condolences were offered and Takakura was described as "one of Japan's greatest actors".
Fans also used social media to express their grief over the veteran actor's passing.
Takafumi Sasano shared via Twitter his sadness over the fact that his dream to act alongside Takakura will "never come true".
Another actor, Tadanobu Asano, who is recognized for his portrayal in 'Electric Dragon 80.000 V' and in the Marvel superhero movie 'Thor' also tweeted his reaction to the news: "Rest in peace. This makes me so sad. Thank you so much."
The Mainichi Shimbun, a major daily in Japan, published a story on Takakura. In the piece, the Japanese actor was referred to as the "awkward guy"-a tribute to the famous line he uttered in a life insurance commercial aired in 1984. The story described Takakura as the representation of the "self-denying stoicism and generosity of spirit which resonated with Japanese audiences."
