Image copyright Rex Features/AP Image caption Godzilla, or Gojira (right), has been a staple of Japanese cinema since the 1950s

Hiroshi Koizumi, a Japanese actor who appeared in several early Godzilla films, has died at the age of 88.

According to reports, he died in Tokyo on 31 May from pneumonia.

Koizumi played the human lead in 1955's Godzilla Raids Again, the sequel to Toho Studio's first Godzilla film, which was released the previous year.

He went on to appear in a string of monster films, including Mothra, Godzilla vs The Thing and Ghidorah the Three-Headed Monster.

Koizumi's other Godzilla films included Godzilla vs Mechagodzilla (1974), The Return of Godzilla (1984) and Godzilla: Tokyo SOS (2003).

His other credits included 47 Samurai in 1962, which also starred Toshiro Mifune, and 1963 war film Attack Squadron.