Conductor Ozawa Seiji (74) wants the world top know he has won his battle with cancer. Making his public comeback yesterday, he looked considerably more frail than he did when he revealed his esophageal cancer back in January. Nevertheless he was on the podium conducting a chamber orchestra as they rehearsed for the annual Saito Kinen Matsumoto festival in the resort area of Shiga Kogen, Nagano Prefecture.
Following surgery to remove his gullet in late January, he returned work a week ago to prepare for the festival, which he founded in 1992. At a press conference afterward, he offered words of support to singer Kuwata Keisuke (54), who announced last week that he has been diagnosed with the same condition. Both he and Ozawa were diagnosed at an early stage, vastly increasing their chances of a full recovery. “He’s 20 years younger than me, so I’m certain he’ll be fine,” Ozawa said. “But it’s very important to get a regular checkup.”
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