Actor Ken Ogata, known for his energetic acting in numerous films and TV drama series, including the 1983 movie Narayama Bushiko (Ballad of Narayama), died of? liver cancer Oct. 5, sources close to him said Oct. 7. He was 71.

He had been suffering from the disease for the past five years.

Ogata, whose real first name is Akinobu, had been active until just recently, having attended a news conference in Tokyo on Sept. 30 to announce the new TV drama series Kaze no garden (Garden of Wind), that began airing Oct. 9, along with fellow cast members.