Oscar-Winning Composer Ryuichi Sakamoto Dead of Cancer at 71: 'Art Is Long, Life Is Short'

Sakamoto starred in Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence alongside David Bowie in 1983

The Japanese composer behind 1987's The Last Emperor, Ryuichi Sakamoto, has died.

Sakamoto's management team announced his death in a statement posted to his official website over the weekend.

"While undergoing treatment for cancer discovered in June 2020, Sakamoto continued to create works in his home studio whenever his health would allow. He lived with music until the very end," the statement read.

"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."

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"In accordance with Sakamoto's strong wishes, the funeral service was held among his close family members. Please understand that we are unable to accept any calls of condolences offering of incense or flowers, and the like."

The note concluded with one of Sakamoto's favorite quotes: "Art is long, life is short."

Sakamoto was born in Tokyo, Japan, in 1952, and was widely known for being one of the first musicians to incorporate electronic production into his music.

Throughout his career, he played in bands, composed film scores and collaborated with artists like David Bowie and Iggy Pop.

In 1978, he played keyboard with electronic band Yellow Magic Orchestra, which went on to earn international success.

In 1983, he wrote his first film score for Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence, and he acted alongside Bowie. He then went on to compose for films like The Last Emperor in 1987 — which earned him an Oscar, Golden Globe and a Grammy — The Sheltering Sky in 1990 and High Heels in 1991. He also did Babel in 2006 and The Revenant in 2015.

In 2017, he released an album called async and had become a prominent voice in protesting nuclear power after the Fukushima disaster. The documentary Ryuichi Sakamoto: Coda documented his efforts.

Sakamoto was first diagnosed with throat cancer in 2014, per Variety. He then announced that he had been diagnosed with rectal cancer in January 2021 in a message on his website.

"From now on, I will be living alongside cancer. But, I am hoping to make music for a little while longer," he wrote at the time.

Sakamoto is survived by his wife and manager, Norika Sora.

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