Veteran actor Shimojo Masami, who played the role of the uncle of Tora-san in the film series “Otoko wa Tsurai yo” (It’s Tough Being a Man), died of pancreas cancer Sunday at his Tokyo home, his son, actor Shimojo Atomu (57) announced yesterday. He was 88. He took the role of Ryuzo Kuruma, known as Oi-chan, the uncle of itinerant peddler Torajiro Kuruma, nicknamed Tora-san, from the 14th movie in the Yamada Yoji-directed series in 1974 through the last and 48th in 1995.