CATDOLL: Japanese cultural scholar Sakurai Takamasa died in an accident. He was a lecturer on animation diplomacy.

According to NHK News, Japanese pop culture researcher and Ministry of Foreign Affairs animation cultural diplomacy lecturer Mr. Sakurai Takamasa died in an accident at the station at 0:00 on December 4. He had published many animation culture research works during his lifetime and was an outstanding talent in the animation industry.

Recent photos of Sakurai Takamasa

NHK News described the incident as follows: "At around 0:30 on December 4, a 49-year-old man was killed in an accident at the Arakawa-ku station in Tokyo. The deceased was Mr. Sakurai, a Japanese painting culture researcher and diplomatic lecturer. According to witnesses, Mr. Sakurai was drunk at the time and eventually slipped and fell onto the platform. The Metropolitan Police Department is currently investigating the details of the incident." At the same time, netizens in Japan also confirmed that the Yamanote Line was temporarily suspended due to an emergency at around 12:00 am and did not resume operation until 2 a.m., probably due to the impact of this incident.

NHK News Report

Mr. Sakurai Takamasa is an advisory committee member and consultant of the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs on animation diplomacy, a writer, and a scholar of Japanese pop culture research. He has exchanges with animation fans and groups in many countries around the world. Some of his important works on animation theory still influence many people in the industry. In addition, Mr. Sakurai also co-hosts a radio program with voice actor Sumire Uesaka. Many people in the industry who have worked with him think he is "a very kind and lovely uncle."