Akihiro Miwa, the renowned Japanese singer and actor known for the hit song “Yoitomake no Uta” and his acclaimed stage performance in “Black Lizard,” has died at the age of 91.
His management agency announced the news on Sunday, saying that Miwa died on June 20 of natural causes. His wake and funeral were held privately with close family members, in accordance with his wishes. No public memorial service is planned.
Born Akihiro Maruyama on May 15, 1935, in Nagasaki, Miwa later moved to Tokyo and began his professional singing career at Ginpari, a famous French music cafe in the capital’s Ginza district, at age 16. In 1957, he gained attention with his Japanese adaptation of the French song “Me Que Me Que,” which he translated himself and performed with his distinctive style.
