TOKYO: Ryuichi Sakamoto, the Japanese composer who penned down the haunting score to “Merry Christmas, Mr Lawrence” and won an Oscar for 1987s “The Last Emperor,” has died at 71.
His management announced that Sakamoto died on March 28 after recently undergoing cancer treatment. The statement said: “we would like to share one of Sakamoto’s favourite quotes that “art is long, life is short,”.
Born in Tokyo in 1952, the composer grew up listening to classical greats such as Bach and The Beatles. He was a member of the influential electronic act Yellow Magic Orchestra that he co-founded in 1978. The group went on to achieve international success, with its experimental use of synthesisers widely credited with shaping the emergence of genres such as house and techno. However, Sakamoto was best known for his soundtrack work, for which he received numerous awards.
In the 1983 film “Merry Christmas, Lawrence,” he wrote the score and co-starred with David Bowie. He clinched a Golden Globe for the best music for his contribution to “The Last Emperor” four years later. He continued to work until his death, including the score for the 2015 film “The Revenant.”
An album of the composer’s music, curated by “The Revenant” director Alejandro González Iárritu, will be released on May 5.
Sakamoto was also known for his activism, particularly his anti-nuclear stance, which led to him protesting nuclear power plants and co-organising a “No Nukes” concert in 2012. He also publicly campaigned against a now-abolished Japanese law that prohibited dancing after midnight or 1 a.m. in bars, clubs, and other public places.
Following the news of Sakamoto’s death, tributes from the arts and beyond flooded social media. Haruka Abe, a Japanese actor, tweeted that his music “will live on forever,” and Frederick Joseph, a US author, described it as “the score of many of my life moments.”
Meanwhile, Tokimonsta, a DJ and producer who has previously collaborated with Sakamoto, wrote a letter describing him as “one of the most forward-thinking, nurturing supportive artists of his generation.”
According to Sakamoto’s management team, a funeral service was held with his close family members under his wishes.
