Veteran actress Sachiko Hidari died Thursday of cancer at the National Cancer Center in Tokyo, her family said Saturday. She was 71.
Hidari, whose real name was Sachiko Nukamura, was popular for her performances in films, television and on the stage. She was a native of Toyama Prefecture.
Hidari made her debut in the film world in 1952 after working as a high school teacher. She performed under renowned directors, including Shohei Imamura and Tomu Uchida.
Hidari received numerous awards both domestically and internationally, including the Blue Ribbon Award for best actress and the Best Actress Award at the Berlin International Film Festival.
Junji Nishime
NAHA (Kyodo) Former Okinawa governor and House of Representatives lawmaker Junji Nishime died of a heart attack at a hospital in Okinawa on Saturday, his family said. He was 80.
Nishime, a leader of conservative politicians in Okinawa, graduated from the University of Tokyo in 1948 and was elected Naha mayor in 1962.
In 1970, he was voted into the Lower House in the first postwar general election in Okinawa and served in the chamber until 1978. Nishime was elected Okinawa governor three times, serving for 12 years from 1978.
He again won a seat in the Lower House in 1993, but retired in 1996 due to ill health.