The Oscar-winning Japanese composer Ryuichi Sakamoto, best known for his scores to epic films like "The Last Emperor," "Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence," and others, has passed away at the age of 71.
Sakamoto was likewise known for his acting, and for his work with the spearheading electronic music band Yellow Sorcery Ensemble (YMO) which he helped to establish.
On its website, Avex, the recording company with which he collaborated, stated, "He lived with music until the very end." The statement added that despite his cancer, he continued to work in his home studio whenever his health permitted.
According to Avex, he died on March 28.
Sakamoto was captivated by music from the time he was a toddler. When he was in high school, he rode in carriages of Tokyo commuter trains that were so crammed that no one could move. He kept himself amused by counting the various sounds the train made along the way.
Sakamoto, who called the French composer Claude Debussy his hero, went to the Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music to study ethnomusicology. He was interested in Indian and African musical traditions as well as the traditional music of Japan's Okinawa prefecture.
"Debussy and Asian music both had a significant impact on me. In other words, "the music comes full circle," he told WNYC public radio in 2010.
Embracing electronic music, he and individual studio performers Haruomi Hosono and Yukihiro Takahashi framed YMO in 1978. The band's groundbreaking use of a wide range of electronic instruments resulted in success both domestically and internationally.
Sakamoto's most memorable score was for the 1983 film "Happy holidays Mr. Lawrence", in which he likewise played the commandant of a captive camp, featuring close by David Bowie. After that, the score won a BAFTA.
"The Last Emperor," in which he also starred, is his most well-known film. An Oscar, Grammy, and Golden Globe were awarded for the score.
On social media, tributes were posted by fans.
Maestro, rest in peace. One message on the Twitter account @elhichri0 read, "Your music enriched our lives and changed our view of the world around us and within us."