Japan’s greatest postwar lyricist Aku Yuu died early yesterday morning of urethral cancer. He was 70. Real name Fukada Hiroyuki, Aku was born in Hyogo Prefecture and his experience growing up on the island of Awajishima became the inspiration for an award-winning novel that was also adapted as a movie. But he was best known as the man behind such songs as Pink Lady’s hits “UFO” and “Southpaw”, Miyako Harumi’s “Kita no Shuku Kara”, and over 5,000 other songs that spanned all genres. The combined sales of singles he penned reached almost 70 million. After working for an advertising firm, he made his songwriting debut in 1967 and quickly established himself as a writer of hit songs for enka, pop, and anime. He was often a judge on musical talent shows and helped launch the careers of the biggest names in the Golden Age of idol singers, including Pink Lady, Yamaguchi Momoe and Sakurada Junko. He appeared well at a party held in March to celebrate 35 years in showbiz of enka singer Ishikawa Sayuri, but he had been battling cancer for several years. He continued writing music even after his hospitalization on July 10 and penned several songs for the upcoming album by Nagisa Youko.
Japan Zone entertainment news will be updated on Monday, August 6.