Actress Akemi Negishi died of ovarian cancer on March 11, it was learned on Wednesday. She would have turned 74 later this month.

Negishi was born in 1934. She dropped out of high school and joined the Nichigeki Dancing Team. In 1952, she started acting, and she soon gained international recognition when she was cast as the star of the 1953 Japan-U.S. collaboration "Anatahan," directed by Josef von Sternberg. She went on to appear in many more films, including Akira Kurosawa's "Donzoko" (1957) and "Akahige" (1965).

Negishi was also active in television and theater. Her recent performances include Yukio Ninagawa's 2001 production of "Chikamatsu Shinju Monogatari" and a 2005 short film called "Barameraba," directed by Ninagawa's niece, Yuki Ninagawa.