Japanese Film Director Kazuhiko Hasewaga Dies at 80

Tokyo, Feb. 2 (Jiji Press)--Kazuhiko Hasegawa, a Japanese film director known for his 1979 work "Taiyo wo Nusunda Otoko" ("The Man Who Stole the Sun"), died of multiple organ failure resulting from aspiration pneumonia at a Tokyo hospital on Saturday. He was 80.

The native of the western prefecture of Hiroshima joined film director Shohei Imamura's production company when he was a University of Tokyo student.

After working as an assistant director at Nikkatsu Corp., Hasegawa made his debut as director in 1976 with "Seishun no Satsujinsha" ("The Murderer of the Youth") depicting a young man's flight with his girlfriend after killing his parents.

Three years later, he attracted public attention for his second film featuring a junior high school teacher who blackmails the government with a self-made atomic bomb. The main character was played by popular singer Kenji Sawada.

Hasegawa launched the Directors Company in 1981 with young film directors, which produced such ambitious works as Shinji Somai's "Taifu Kurabu" ("Typhoon Club"). However, Hasegawa had never directed a film after Taiyo wo Nusunda Otoko.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]