Ishiguro Ken's father passes away due to renal pelvic cancer

Ishiguro Ken's father Ishiguro Osamu who was the first professional tennis player in Japan after World War II, passed away on 9 November due to renal pelvic cancer. His wake was held at St. Dominic Catholic Shibuya Church on 13 November where the media had gathered. The elder Ishiguro was 80 years old. About 600 people attended the wake including former professional tennis player Matsuoka Shuzo. The funeral mass was held from 1pm on 15 November.

Ishiguro Ken revealed that he had been to visit his father with his elder brother on 8 November and they left after promising to come back the following day. However, his father's condition took a turn for the worse suddenly and they were contacted by the hospital at 5am the following day. Unfortunately, the brothers were unable to see their father before he passed away. Although they were mentally prepared for the inevitable, it was regretful that their father departed so suddenly and they could not be with him at the last moment.

Ishiguro Ken commented that his father was diagnosed with cancer in 2013 and had undergone surgery which made him better for a while. However, his condition worsened in spring this year and the cancer spread to his lungs, liver and brain. Despite his condition, the elder Ishiguro did not show his weak side to his family and bore with the pain for the past three years.

As a result of his father's influence, Ishiguro Ken started learning tennis since he was a child and his debut as an actor in the 1983 TBS drama "Ao ga chiru" was also thanks to his father creating the opportunity. At that time, as the drama was set in a tennis club of an university, the production crew approached his father for advice. His father then passed the drama's original novel to him and suggested that he act in the drama.

Sources: Nikkansports / Sanspo / Sponichi