TOKYO: Japanese musician Ryuichi Sakamoto has died at the age of 71, the Yomiuri newspaper reported on Sunday (Apr 2).
The pioneering composer had been battling cancer, his management team also said in a statement.
Sakamoto died on March 28th, and was given a funeral attended only by close family, at his request, the statement said.
Apart from his solo work, he was known as the keyboardist of the electronic music band Magic Orchestra formed in 1978.
Sakamoto also starred in films like 1983’s “Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence”, and won an Oscar and Grammy for scoring the 1987 movie “The Last Emperor”, Kyodo News reported.