Ryuichi Sakamoto passed away. “I am not a cultural goodwill ambassador,” said the words of a lone genius who strongly rejected the idea of “representing Japan.

Professor Ryuichi Sakamoto passed away on March 28 at the age of 71.

In 1978, he formed the Yellow Magic Orchestra (YMO) with Haruomi Hosono (75) and Yukihiro Takahashi (70), who passed away in January of this year. Their innovative music using synthesizers and fashions such as red “people’s clothes” shocked the world, and their two world tours were a great success. The group became a social phenomenon, with young Japanese imitating the techno cut, in which the fringe of the forehead is cut off, and the Takenoko Tribe, who were performing on the streets of Harajuku, dancing to “Raideen”.

In 1983, “Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence,” the main theme of Nagisa Oshima’s “Merry Christmas in the Battlefield,” became a worldwide hit, and “The Last Emperor,” released in 1987, won the 1988 Academy Award for Best Music Composition. He became the first Japanese composer to win an Academy Award for Best Original Score for the film “The Last Emperor,” released in 1987, earning him the nickname “The World’s Sakamoto. In 1990, he also composed the soundtrack for the film “The Sheltering Sky,” which won the Los Angeles Film Critics Circle Award for Best Music, and the following year, the Golden Globe Award for Best Music. He also moved his base to New York in 1990, and since then he has been active mainly in New York.

In 1991, Sakamoto returned to Japan to promote his upcoming performance as Sessue Hayakawa, the first Japanese actor in Hollywood, in Oshima’s “Hollywood Zen,” a film he had not acted in for some time. FRIDAY” conducted an exclusive interview with him on that occasion. Mr. Sakamoto spoke honestly about what was on his mind at the time. The following is a reproduction of an article from the September 20, 1991 issue.

I am not a cultural goodwill ambassador.

I am often asked if I am a representative of Japan or the secret to success in the world. People expect me to represent Japan. But I want to make it clear that I am a private musician, not a cultural ambassador for Japan. Generally speaking, no two Japanese people are the same, and if 100 people listen to my music, there will be 100 different ways of perceiving and feeling it, right? So I would like people to stop thinking that all Japanese people are like this.

Living in the U.S. is not happy

I started living in New York last year, and I can say that New York certainly has an inspiring environment for artists. To be honest, however, I am not so happy living in the U.S. New York is powerful, but more than that, it is dangerous. The city is getting more and more violent, and the social infrastructure is in shambles. I don’t think it’s a place I want to stay for that long. I’m thinking of moving to Paris. It’s the most exciting city right now, and I feel it has a much more Japanese ‘warmth’ than New York.

My music is not “stateless” but “multinational

To make music, you need something to inspire you. Once I find some inspiration, the rest goes smoothly. I have even been known to write out a score in a cab after a sudden flash of inspiration. The album “HEAT BEAT” was also inspired by the idea that people today have a desire to return to their mother’s womb, where they could hear the beat of their own heart. People often say that my music is ‘stateless,’ but in fact it is ‘multinational.

I have always been interested in Sessue Hayakawa.

Since appearing in Oshima’s film “Merry Christmas at the Battlefield,” I have had many offers to work on films, but I have turned most of them down. I thought the music in that movie was great, but I was shocked at how bad the acting was. So when Director Oshima asked me out of the blue in May, I responded ambiguously, “I’ll do the music, but I’ll have to think about the lead role. The truth is, I was very interested in Sessue Hayakawa, the first Japanese Hollywood star, so as soon as I got the call, I was very happy. Right now, my mind is occupied with the movie. I’m going to the gym every day to lose 5 kg first.

However, the film was postponed just before crank-in in November 1991 because of the huge production cost of 7 billion yen. After another postponement, production was forced to be canceled. The second collaboration between director Oshima and Sakamoto since “Senmeri” was lost. I wonder what Mr. Sakamoto is saying to Director Oshima now in heaven. I wonder what Mr. Sakamoto would say to Mr. Oshima in heaven.