Biography
Minoru Chiaki (born Katsuji Sasaki) was a Japanese actor. He appeared in eleven films directed by Akira Kurosawa, including Rashomon (1950) as the priest, Seven Samurai (1954) as Heihachi Hayashida, Ikiru (1952) as Noguchi, Throne of Blood (1957) as Yoshiaki Miki, and The Hidden Fortress (1958) as Tahei.
Chiaki attended but did not graduate from Chuo University. He began his career in theatre before entering film in 1949. Later he appeared in many Toei productions. In 1986 he received the Japan Academy Prize for Best Actor for his performance in Gray Sunset (1985).
He died in Fuchu, Tokyo, on 1 November 1999. His son Katsuhiko Sasaki is also an actor.
