Actor and entertainer Ryotaro Shimizu has died at the age of 37, his agency confirmed on August 2.

Born in Tokyo on August 15, 1988, Shimizu made his acting debut in the 2006 NHK historical drama Komyo ga Tsuji. He later appeared in a number of tv dramas, including the third season of Gokusen and Hammer Session!, while also gaining recognition as a celebrity impersonator on Japanese variety shows. He was the third son of veteran entertainer Akira Shimizu.

In 2017, Shimizu stepped away from the entertainment industry following legal issues related to Japan's Stimulants Control Act. Earlier this year, however, he reunited with his father for a public appearance.

In his personal life, Shimizu married in 2016, and the couple welcomed their first child, a daughter, in the same year.