Kyu Sakamoto
Kyu Sakamoto (Japanese: 坂本 九, Hepburn: Sakamoto Kyū, born Hisashi Sakamoto (坂本 九, Sakamoto Hisashi) and raised as Hisashi Ōshima (大島 九, Ōshima Hisashi), 10 December 1941 – 12 August 1985) was a Japanese singer and actor.
Kyu Sakamoto | |||||
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坂本 九 | |||||
Sakamoto in 1961/1962 | |||||
| Born | Hisashi Sakamoto (坂本 九, Sakamoto Hisashi) 10 December 1941 | ||||
| Died | 12 August 1985 (aged 43) Mount Takamagahara Ueno, Gunma, Japan | ||||
| Cause of death | Plane crash onboard Japan Air Lines Flight 123 | ||||
| Other names | Kyū-chan | ||||
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| Spouse |
Yukiko Kashiwagi (m. 1971) | ||||
| Children | Hanako Maiko | ||||
| Musical career | |||||
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| Years active | 1958–1985 | ||||
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| Website | www | ||||
| Japanese name | |||||
| Kanji | 坂本 九 | ||||
| Hiragana | さかもと きゅう | ||||
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He was best known outside Japan for his international hit song "Ue o Muite Arukō" (known as "Sukiyaki" in English-speaking markets), which was sung in Japanese and sold over 13 million copies. It reached number one in the United States Billboard Hot 100 in June 1963, making Sakamoto the first Asian recording artist to have a number one song on the chart. He was also the first Japanese artist to have a number one single on the Australian singles chart.
Sakamoto died on 12 August 1985 in the crash of Japan Air Lines Flight 123, along with 519 others on board the flight, making him a casualty of the deadliest single-aircraft accident in aviation history.