Renowned comedian Hitoshi Matsumoto, member of the famous duo Downtown, recently announced that he underwent surgery to treat colon cancer. After the procedure, which included a colostomy, he was discharged from the hospital and is recovering.
The information was confirmed on Friday, July 17, by Yoshimoto Kogyo, the agency that represents the artist, through a statement on its official portal. The note detailed the surgical intervention to remove a tumor in the large intestine.
In the statement, the agency said: “We would like to inform you that Hitoshi Matsumoto of Downtown, who belongs to our company, recently underwent surgery to remove a tumor from his large intestine and was safely discharged from the hospital.” The note also assured that the comedian would fulfill his schedule, appearing on the live broadcast of ‘DOWNTOWN+ ‘Owarai Teikoku Daigaku (OIU)’ on the 18th. The company further clarified that, in the spring of this year, Matsumoto noticed irregularities in his health and, after examinations, he was diagnosed with the tumor. It was decided not to disclose the condition during hospitalization so that the artist could focus fully on his treatment, avoiding unnecessary concerns for fans and colleagues. The agency concluded by requesting continued support for him and the Downtown duo, with the guarantee that activities would continue under medical guidance.
In an emergency live broadcast held on the same date at 7pm on his paid platform ‘DOWNTOWN+’, Hitoshi Matsumoto shared more details about his condition. He confessed: “I told you that I couldn’t stop having bloody stools. When I went to the hospital, I discovered that it was a very aggressive cancer,” and confirmed that an ostomy, known as an artificial anus, was necessary.
