Yoshihiro Nishimura, ‘Tokyo Gore Police’ and ‘Welcome to Japan’ Director, Dies at 59

May 26, 2026 4:06pm PT Yoshihiro Nishimura, ‘Tokyo Gore Police’ and ‘Welcome to Japan’ Director, Dies at 59

By Payton Turkeltaub

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Payton Turkeltaub

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Yoshihiro Nishimura, the director behind films like “Tokyo Gore Police” and “Welcome to Japan,” died Monday in Tokyo following a nearly two-week hospital stay for liver disease. He was 59. 

Nishimura’s career began in the early 2000s, during which he directed and created effects for a number of short films before directing “Tokyo Gore Police,” his first commercial release, in 2008. The film, which screened at a number of global festivals, has been credited for opening the door for a new wave of Japanese ultra-violent horror and science-fiction cinema. 

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