In the wake of his passing, we look back on the legendary Japanese composer’s decades-long career, from Yellow Magic Orchestra to his film scores and beyond
Ryuichi Sakamoto has died at 71. The acclaimed Japanese musician passed away on March 28, per a statement from his management team.
Sakamoto was diagnosed with throat cancer in 2014, which went into remission after treatment, but in 2021 he revealed that he had been diagnosed with colon cancer. Last year, he revealed that the cancer had spread and he now had a stage 4 diagnosis. This past December, Sakamoto performed a livestreamed solo piano concert that he said could be his last.
“While undergoing treatment for cancer discovered in June 2020, Sakamoto continued to create works in his home studio whenever his health would allow,” reads a message posted on his website. “He lived with music until the very end. We would like to express our deepest gratitude to his fans and all those who have supported his activities, as well as the medical professionals in Japan and the U.S. who did everything in their power to cure him.”
Sakamoto was born on January 17, 1952 i