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Enka Singer Aki Yashiro Dies at 73

The Million Plan agency announced on Tuesday that Japanese enka singer Aki Yashiro has died on December 30, due to a type of collagen disease. She was 73. A private funeral was held on Monday, with only her staff attending, in accordance to Yashiro's wishes. Yashiro's agency plans to hold a farewell party, and will announce more details soon.

In September, Yashiro was diagnosed with anti-MDA5 antibody-positive dermatomyositis, a subtype of dermatomyositis with a poor prognosis that usually presents as skin manifestations and rapidly progressive interstitial lung disease. Yashiro was undergoing treatment for her illness, but it had rapidly progressed.

Yashiro performed the opening and ending theme songs of the 1994 Tottemo! Luckyman anime, and the ending theme song "Onoremichi (My Road)" for the 2004 The Gokusen anime.

Since her debut in 1971, she's appeared in the Kōhaku Uta Gassen (Red and White Song Battle) 23 times, and has breached the Oricon Top 10 several times. In 2014, she performed an enka cover of the Neon Genesis Evangelion theme song "Cruel Angel's Thesis," which was included in the Enka no Chikara Premium album.

In 2021, which marked her 50th anniversary in the entertainment industry, Yashiro received the 42nd Matsu Entertainment Award.

Sources: Aki Yashiro's website, Nikkan Sports via Hachima Kiko