The 56-year-old actor released a comment seeking understanding for the postponement of his reappearance in the musical "The King and I" in New York.
Watanabe had been scheduled to star again in the musical beginning in March.
"I am preparing myself in earnest for the (Broadway) stage. I would like to ask for your understanding that the start of my performance in New York will be a little delayed."
The actor is currently recuperating at a hospital in Japan, the agent said. The cancer was detected in a medical checkup.
Watanabe has a history of overcoming leukemia, a type of cancer, and expanding his career abroad afterward.
In 1989, he was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia, but he returned to acting the following year. In 2004, he was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role as Lord Katsumoto Moritsugu in the U.S. film "The Last Samurai."
Watanabe made his Broadway debut in April 2015 when he starred in "The King and I" at the Lincoln Center Theater, playing the king of Siam who develops an unexpected bond with an English teacher in a story set in the 19th century in what is now Thailand.
For this performance, he was nominated for a Tony Award for Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical.
source: www.abs-cbnnews.com
