Comedian Hitoshi Matsumoto has revealed that he recently underwent surgery to remove a tumor from his colon.

Matsumoto shared the news on July 17 during an emergency livestream on DOWNTOWN+, explaining that he sought medical attention after experiencing persistent bleeding. He said the treatment and surgery had been physically demanding but confirmed that he has since been discharged from the hospital.

During the broadcast, Matsumoto also revealed that he will undergo another operation in several months after his body has had time to recover. Despite the ongoing treatment, he said he plans to continue working and lightened the mood with several jokes about his condition

Yoshimoto Kogyo later confirmed that a colon tumor was discovered after Matsumoto noticed changes in his health earlier this spring. The agency said he underwent successful surgery and kept the diagnosis private while receiving treatment to avoid causing concern among fans and colleagues.