Renowned composer and environmental activist Ryuichi Sakamoto has passed away at the age of 71 after his second cancer diagnosis. Sakamoto gained fame in the 1970s as a member of the Japanese group Yellow Magic Orchestra, whose electronic innovations helped lay the foundation for synth-pop, house music, and hip-hop. He was best known for his film soundtracks, including the hauntingly catchy track “Forbidden Colours” from the 1983 film “Merry Christmas, Mr Lawrence,” which became a global hit. Sakamoto won an Academy Award for his score for the 1987 period epic “The Last Emperor” and continued to win acclaim for his work despite recent ill health. He was also a prominent figure in Japan’s anti-nuclear movement after the 2011 Fukushima meltdown and founded the conservation organization More Trees in 2007. Sakamoto is survived by his daughter, J-pop singer Miu Sakamoto.
