 Japanese actor and martial arts master Sonny Chiba has died from COVID related illness. The talented Chiba died late on Thursday in a hospital near Tokyo, where he had been treated for the illness since August 8. The 82-year-old acting career began in the 1960s with a string of roles in Japanese martial arts films and TV shows. He will go on to feature in more than 100 films. Chiba was also a title-winning gymnast in his teams before turning to karate, earning a black belt in 1965.