[Sportschosun, Reporter Park A-ram] Miwa Akihiro, a Japanese singer, actor, and director, has died at the age of 91.
On the 28th, Miwa Akihiro's official website announced, "Miwa Akihiro passed away peacefully at 9:30 a.m. on the 20th due to old age."
The agency said, "We are deeply grateful for the warm love and support so many people gave him during his lifetime." It added, "The funeral and farewell service were held in accordance with the deceased's wishes, with only the bereaved family and close relatives in attendance. No separate memorial service will be held, and we respectfully decline condolence money and floral tributes."
Born in Nagasaki, Japan, in 1935, Miwa Akihiro made his debut as a professional singer at 16 and began his career performing mainly at Ginza's chanson cafe Ginpari. He rose to fame with his self-composed 1957 song "Mekemeke" and became one of Japan's leading singers with the hit "Song of Yoitomake," which expresses love and respect for working mothers. The song drew major attention when it was performed again on NHK's 2012 Kouhaku Uta Gassen.
He also left a distinctive mark as an actor and director. He appeared in numerous stage productions, including "Mori no Mari," "Black Lizard," and "Hymn of Love." In the 1968 film "Black Lizard," he played the lead role and delivered a powerful performance. In 1998, he won the Outstanding Actor Award at the 5th Yomiuri Theater Awards for the play "Twin-Headed Eagle."
To Korean fans, he was also well known as the voice actor for Moro, the ancient wolf deity in the animated film "Princess Mononoke." His deep and commanding voice heightened the film's immersion and left a lasting impression on animation fans around the world, including in Korea.
He also worked widely beyond singing and acting, serving as the narrator for the 2014 NHK morning drama "Hanako to Anne."
Miwa Akihiro was exposed to the Nagasaki atomic bomb at the age of 10, and he spent his life promoting the importance of peace and human rights. Through music, lectures, writing, and life counseling on themes such as war, discrimination, and poverty, he offered comfort and hope to many people.
After suffering a cerebral infarction in 2019, he continued to appear on television and write, but his health deteriorated over the past three months. He had been recuperating at home before passing away of old age.
The official website also released a handwritten message left by the deceased during his lifetime.
The message read, "The only weapons needed to live in this world are words of love. The key to solving all the problems in this world is love. If there is love, war will not happen."
The agency mourned him, saying, "Miwa Akihiro always dreamed of a world free of discrimination and prejudice, and of a society where everyone could live peacefully, brightly, and joyfully." It added, "We hope you will remember the deceased's wishes for a long time."
tokkig@sportschosun.com
