Zenpaku Kato, professionally known as Yoshihiro Kato, was a Japanese actor born on October 7, 1958, in Akita Prefecture, Japan. He was affiliated with the SAI Production agency and stood at a height of 174 cm.
As a hobby, Kato appreciated music and possessed a unique skill in illustration, with blue being his favorite color. He graduated from Akita Prefectural Yuri Technical High School before pursuing his acting career.
Kato made his stage debut in the play "Shitaya Mannencho Monogatari," directed by Yukio Ninagawa. He gained recognition for his portrayal of eccentric and antagonistic characters in various mediums, including film, television, and stage.
Some of his notable roles include a strict physical education teacher in the 1983 film "Kazoku Geemu" (Family Game),who methodically decides students' desired high schools for exams, and Mr. Sugimoto, a department head who bullies subordinates through workplace harassment and power dynamics in the 1992 TV drama "Ai to Iu Na no Moto ni" (Under the Name of Love).
Throughout his career, Kato received praise for his distinctive performances, but his life was cut short on April 27, 2007, at the age of 48. He tragically took his own life through hanging in a park located in Shibuya, Tokyo.
His passing was mourned by fellow actors, including Toshi Kazawa, Yoji Tanaka, and Mako Maekawa, who expressed their condolences for the loss of a talented actor and a human being.
