MOSCOW, November 19 (Sputnik) — China’s mourning of the death of Japanese film star Ken Takakura seems to be a second small sign of a thaw in relations between the two countries, after the meeting of Chinese and Japanese leaders at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) in Beijing, their first formal talks since 2012, according to AFP.
China's foreign ministry mourned Takakura's death and acknowledged his “important and positive contributions to cultural exchanges between China and Japan". China's official Xinhua news agency reported that Takakura was an actor who had "helped redefine the image Chinese males hoped to obtain for an entire generation".
Takakura was mostly known for his role as a serious detective in “Black Rain” (1989), directed by Ridley Scott. He often played tough characters, such as police officers struggling for truth and justice.
China-Japan relations have deteriorated over the past two years due to territorial claims in the East China Sea. The countries have blamed each other for triggering dangerous incidents, with both of them constantly scrambling their fighter jets over disputed territories, according to the Guardian.
