Composer Tsutsumi Kyohei of 'Blue Light Yokohama' Passes Away

Archival photo taken in 1997 of Tsutsumi, the Japanese composer of 'Blue Light Yokohama,' who passed away at the age of 80. (Photo by Yonhap News)

[Asia Economy Reporter Moon Jiwon] Tsutsumi Kyohei (real name Watanabe Eikichi), the composer of the Japanese song "Blue Light Yokohama," has passed away at the age of 80.

According to Kyodo News on the 12th, Tsutsumi, who suffered from Parkinson's disease, died at his home in Tokyo on the 7th due to aspiration pneumonia caused by food entering the airway.

He was a representative composer of the Showa era (Emperor Hirohito's reign, 1926?1989) in Japan.

He debuted in 1966 with the song "Yellow Lemon," and later produced numerous hit songs including "Blue Light Yokohama" sung by Ishida Ayumi and "17-sai" by Minami Saori.

Released in 1968, "Blue Light Yokohama" is the most famous song among those themed around Yokohama.

In the 1970s and 1980s, he led the golden age of Japanese pop music with sophisticated melodies influenced by Western music styles. It is said that the late composer wrote about 3,000 songs for group sounds and idol singers.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.