Ryuichi Sakamoto, a member of the influential electronic act Yellow Magic Orchestra, has declared that he will be stepping away from current tour dates and other commitments to seek treatment for throat cancer.
"After much thought and consideration, I have decided to take time off of work in order to concentrate on treating it," Sakamoto, 62, said in a statement. "I promise to return after a full recovery."
The performer will also be stepping down from his role as a director for the Sapporo International Art Festival, and will cancel the few solo music performance dates he had on tap.
Many look to Europe for the origins of modern electronic music but Yellow Magic Orchestra brought significant influence to the scene from its home in Tokyo. The trio appreciated the potential for the synthesizer but couldn't fully understand the ambient bleakness being produced by many European performers such as Jean Paul Jarre. They appreciated the methods of electronic icons Kraftwerk, but wanted to expand upon the overly rhythmic beats created by the "robotic" group, resulting in Yellow Magic's melodic, more dance oriented music.
Sakamoto continued his development as a musician when not playing with his original group, earning an Academy Award for Best Original Score from his work with David Byrne on 1987's The Last Emperor.
He's also renowned for his political activity. Although largely known for his resistance to nuclear power, his views also helped to reverse an antiquated Japanese law that made dancing at night clubs punishable by law.
