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Director Yôichi Higashi, best known for his film The Village of Dreams, passed away on January 21st at the age of 91 in a Tokyo hospital.
born in Wakayama Prefecture,Higashi began his career in the film industry after graduating from university,initially working for a production company before transitioning to independent filmmaking.He directed his first feature film in 1971.
Throughout his career, Higashi received critical acclaim and numerous awards, including recognition for A Baseball Player Named Third (1978), a film set within a juvenile rehabilitation center.
his 1996 film, The Village of Dreams, garnered international attention and won the Silver Bear at the Berlin International Film Festival. Berlin International Film Festival
The japanese government honored Higashi with the Purple Ribbon Medal in 1999 for his contributions to the arts, academia, and sports, and further recognized his achievements with the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Rosette, in 2007.