Yoshitaro Nomura, 85; Japanese Director Made 89 Films in 3 Decades

Yoshitaro Nomura, 85, one of Japan’s most prolific post-World War II directors, who made 89 films over three decades, died Friday of pneumonia at a hospital in Tokyo.

Born in Tokyo, Nomura joined Shochiku, a major Japanese film studio, when he was 22. Twelve years later, he made his directorial debut with “Hato” (“Pigeon”). His films ranged from samurai dramas to musicals to crime stories.

He was also a pioneer of Japanese film noir, collaborating with bestselling mystery writer Seicho Matsumoto. They made eight films, including “The Chase,” “The Demon” and “Castle of Sand,” which picked up the special jury’s prize at the Moscow International Film Festival in 1975.

In 1995, the Japanese government awarded him an Order of the Rising Sun, one of the nation’s top honors.