He had stopped smoking for 5 or 6 years before his death due to advice from Sayuri YOSHINAGA in addition to starting to be careful of his health in his late life.
しかし晩年には、健康に気を使うようになり始めたことに加え吉永小百合のアドバイスもあり、亡くなる5～6年前からは禁煙していたという。