From an obit on apnews.com by Mari Yamaguchi headlined “Toru Takahashi, respected AP Asia photo editor, dies at 62”:

TOKYO (AP) — Toru Takahashi, a Tokyo-based photo editor and photographer for The Associated Press who spent his long career meticulously capturing images and sharing his wealth of knowledge with colleagues, has died. Takahashi, who was being treated for lung cancer, died Friday, just days after returning home from the hospital, according to his wife, Mieko Takahashi.

Originally from Kumamoto in southern Japan, he joined AP in Tokyo as an editorial assistant, running errands for photographers and reporters. He learned both English and photography from senior staff members, eventually receiving a job editing and taking photos.