Japanese actor Daigo Kashino dies after being stabbed with samurai sword in rehearsal

Kashino was an actor in a theatre group in downtown Tokyo

Karen Dolley cornered the intruder with a katana sword, used by Japanese Samurai (Getty)

A theatre actor has died in Japan after being stabbed with a samurai sword during a rehearsal.

Daigo Kashino, 33, was rushed to hospital in Tokyo after he was wounded in the abdomen with the sword, but died hours later.

The actor, who was a member of a theatre group in downtown Tokyo, had been rehearsing a play at a studio in the city when the incident happened.

Local media have indicated that several actors were performing in an action scene together when Mr Kashino was stabbed on Monday.

None of his fellow actors saw what happened, but turned around after hearing Mr Kashino groaning and found him hunched over and wounded, the Japanese public broadcaster NHK reported.

It is not known whether the samurai sword was real or a prop, or whether it may have had safety features to prevent injury.

Police are now investigating whether the death was criminal or accidental.

Additional reporting by AP