Comedian Ken Shimura, ‘Japan’s Robin Williams’, Dies Of Coronavirus

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Ken Shimura, the 70-year-old Japanese comedian who had been described as “Japan’s Robin Williams,” has died of pneumonia caused by the coronavirus.

His agency confirmed the news, making him the first Japanese celebrity figure to die as a result of the global pandemic, according to various news outlets including the Japan Times.

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Shimura tested positive for the virus on March 24. He succumbed in a Tokyo hospital on Sunday, March 29.

The comedian was a regular on Japanese television and was noted for his facial expressions. He was also a member of the comedy band The Drifters, alongside Cha Kato, Boo Takagi, and Koji Nakamoto.

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