Popular Japanese comedian Ken Shimura has tested positive for the dreaded coronavirus.
Variety reports that Shimura’s agency made the announcement on Wednesday, March 25, 2020, as the diagnosis took place on Tuesday.
Ken Shimura was admitted to the hospital on Monday for pneumonia. He was set to star in the upcoming Yoji Yamada movie God of Cinema. Filming was to commence later this month but has now been postponed indefinitely.
Shimura became known in 1974 when he came in as a replacement for Chu Arai in the famous comedy group The Drifters.
He is the first prominent figure in Japan to test positive for COVID-19. The country reported its highest daily count of 71 infections yesterday, totaling 1,211 (excluding the cases 712 cases from the Diamond Princess cruise ship docked in Yokohama). Tokyo has now recorded 171 cases and the total death count currently stands at 53.
It was announced on Tuesday by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe that the 2020 Tokyo Olympics which was scheduled to begin on July 24 would be postponed one year as a result of the coronavirus.
