Renowned Japanese pianist and film composer Ryuichi Sakamoto has passed away after a long battle with cancer at the age of 71.

On April 2nd, Japanese media outlets such as Sponichi reported that Ryuichi Sakamoto passed away on March 28th at a hospital in Tokyo. His agency, CAP, also confirmed the news, stating, "It is true that he has left this world."

Sakamoto was diagnosed with throat cancer in 2014 and eventually declared cancer-free after undergoing treatment. However, in 2020, he was diagnosed with rectal cancer, and last year, he revealed that he had been given only six months to live. He underwent six surgeries in one year as he continued his battle against the disease.

In December last year, he held an online concert 'Ryuichi Sakamoto: Playing the Piano 2022,' saying, "This might be my last performance," which turned out to be true.

His agency stated, "He continued his creative activities in his home studio on days when his condition was good, spending his last moments with music," and added, "We would like to express our deepest gratitude to the fans and those involved who have supported Ryuichi Sakamoto's activities, as well as the medical professionals who have done their best for his treatment."

They continued, "In accordance with his strong wishes, the funeral will be held with only family members. We kindly ask for your understanding and decline any visits or flowers," and concluded by sharing a quote Sakamoto loved: "Art is long, life is short."

Ryuichi Sakamoto started playing the piano at the age of three and formed the Yellow Magic Orchestra (YMO) with Yukihiro Takahashi and Haruomi Hosono in 1978, achieving worldwide recognition and two world tours with their techno-pop music featuring synthesizers.

In 1983, he starred in Nagisa Oshima's film "Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence" and the OST became a global hit. He won the Academy Award for Best Original Score for the 1987 film "The Last Emperor," becoming the first Asian to do so, and also won a Grammy Award for the same work.

In 2017, he served as the music director for the Korean film "The Fortress," and in 2018, he was awarded the 'Asian Filmmaker of the Year' at the Busan International Film Festival.

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