Actor Kenichi ``Shoken'' Hagiwara was arrested Monday on suspicion of trying to extort money from a producer after he was canned midway through a film shoot.

Hagiwara, 54, told police, ``I made a phone call, but never made a threat.''

According to police, Hagiwara was removed from the cast of ``Toko no Ki'' for verbally and physically abusive behavior. He received part of his pay-7.5 million yen-but not the full contracted amount. Hagiwara tried to retrieve about 10 million yen left unpaid, police said.

They said the actor called producer Yutaka Okada, 66, on June 29 and left a threatening message on a cellphone answering service, mentioning the names of key gang members.

In part, the message said: ``Please pay up what you owe me, just like the contract says. The regional taxation bureau and the metropolitan police department are backing me. I'm gonna get you.''

The film's producers, including Okada, filed a criminal complaint in December.

Police said they arrested Hagiwara on Monday after determining the act was extremely malicious-due to the yakuza references-and fearing the actor would destroy evidence.

In the 1960s, Hagiwara was in the popular music group The Tempters.(IHT/Asahi: February 8,2005)