News

Live-Action Iryū Actor Kenji Sakaguchi Goes on Medical Hiatus

Actor Kenji Sakaguchi revealed on March 31 that he has an incurable disease — idiopathic osteonecrosis of the femoral head — and that he will take an indefinite medical hiatus from the entertainment industry to focus on treatment. He will end his contract and resign from his agency K Dash at the end of May. The actor has had pain in his right hip since six years ago, and had surgery performed three years ago.

In his announcement, Sakaguchi stated that he started to feel better after his surgery, but he did not know when the condition would worsen again, and that it would be hard to keep working and conserve his strength at the same time. He added that he would try to get better and return to work, though he did not know yet if he will return to the world of acting or "a different world entirely."

Sakaguchi played the character "Doberman" Yamanoi in the live-action adaptations of Ira Ishida's Ikebukuro West Gate Park novels, and also played protagonist Ryūtarō Asada in the live-action series adaptations of Akira Nagai and Tarō Nogizaka's Iryū - Team Medical Dragon manga.

Sources: Sponichi Annex, Oricon News via Hachima Kikō