Ken Watanabe Is Battling Stomach Cancer

Japanese actor Ken Watanabe is battling stomach cancer.

The 56-year-old stage and screen star has undergone endoscopic surgery and is now recuperating in hospital in Japan, his press agent Craig Bankey confirmed.

In a statement, Watanabe apologised to fans who were set to see him return to Broadway to reprise his role in ‘The King And I’ in March.

“I would like to ask for your understanding that the start of my performance in New York will be a little delayed,” he said.

Watanabe is perhaps best known for his work with Christopher Nolan, having starred in both 'Batman Begins’ and 'Inception’.

He also starred in Gareth Edwards’ rebooted 'Godzilla’ in 2014, and 'Letters From Iwo Jima’, as well as lending his voice to 'Transformers: Age of Extinction’.

For his role in 'The Last Samurai’, opposite Tom Cruise, he scored an Oscar-nomination for Best Supporting Actor.

He’s also been Tony-nominated for his role in 'The King And I’.

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Image credit: Reuters