Takarada, who appeared at the premiere of his latest film earlier this month, died in hospital after contracting pneumonia, Japanese media reported on Friday.
"We are saddened to learn of the passing of Akira Takarada. May his memory continue to inspire the lives of many Godzilla fans," reads a tweet posted by the franchise's official "Godzilla" account.
Akira Takarada quickly rose to stardom after playing the lead role of a heroic captain in the first "Godzilla", a film that reflected in particular the fear of nuclear power in a post-war Japan marked by the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
A popular actor in Japan, he later reappeared in other films featuring "Godzilla" and played a small role in "Last Whim", a 1961 film by Japanese master Yasujiro Ozu.
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