Ryuichi Sakamoto

About Ryuichi Sakamoto

Ryuichi Sakamoto was a highly influential Japanese musician, composer, record producer, and actor, celebrated for his diverse contributions across various genres including Japanese classical, ambient, electronic, and avant-garde music. He first gained international recognition as a co-founder and keyboardist of the pioneering electronic band Yellow Magic Orchestra (YMO) in 1978, which significantly impacted electronic music genres like synth-pop, techno, and house. As a prolific solo artist and a renowned film composer, Sakamoto garnered an Academy Award, BAFTA, Grammy, and two Golden Globe Awards for his scores, notably for "The Last Emperor," "The Sheltering Sky," "Little Buddha," and "The Revenant." He also starred in films such as "Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence," for which he also composed the iconic theme. Beyond his musical endeavors, Sakamoto was a dedicated environmental activist. Ryuichi Sakamoto passed away on March 28, 2023, at the age of 71 after a battle with cancer. His final original album, "12," was released on his 71st birthday in January 2023. Posthumously, a final private piano concert, recorded in late 2022, was released as the album and concert film "Opus" in August 2024, featuring solo piano reworkings of songs from across his career. This film was directed by his son, Neo Sora. In October 2024, "Ryuichi Sakamoto's Coda," a solo piano version of the "Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence" soundtrack, received its first international release. His estate also endorsed the "No Music For Genocide" boycott in October 2025, leading to the removal of his music from Israeli streaming and download services. An exhibition titled "Ryuichi Sakamoto | seeing sound, hearing time" was held at the Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo in March 2025, and a reissue of his first album under his own name is slated for February 27, 2026. The University of Massachusetts Amherst Fine Arts Center honored his legacy with a free online series "Sakamoto Blue Sky" in late 2023.