Actress Tanie Kitabayashi dies at 98

TOKYO, Japan - Tanie Kitabayashi (file photo taken in May, 2001), a popular actress best known for playing elderly women in numerous movies, TV dramas and plays, died of pneumonia on April 27 at a Tokyo hospital. She was 98. Some of her notable film appearances include ''Letter from the Mountain'' (2002), ''Tora-san's Song of Love'' (1983) and ''Branch School Diary'' (1978). She also did voice acting in Hayao Miyazaki's popular animated feature ''My Neighbor Totoro'' (1988).