Kazuyuki Yamamuro, editor in chief of WWD Japan, died Saturday at the age of 53 from a heart attack. News of Yamamuro's passing came just as Tokyo Fashion Week kicked into gear with its first full day of shows on Monday.

Masahiko Miyake, chairman of the Japan Fashion Week Organization, expressed regret that the well-regarded editor would not be taking his front row seat this season.

"The Japanese fashion world has lost a valuable personality, and here we send our deepest condolence on this occasion," Miyake said. "He played a major role in the Japanese fashion industry and he did his job knowledgeably and with passion helping young designers improve."

Yamamuro, a fixture on the Japanese and international fashion scenes, took the editorial helm of WWD Japan in 2006. He was also the editor in chief of the Japanese publication WWD Beauty. He is survived by his wife, Emiko Yamamuro.

Yamamuro, who went by the name Kazz, was born in Tokyo in 1959. He earned a degree in mechanical engineering from the department of science and engineering at Sophia University. Before joining WWD Japan, he worked for 20 years as a producer for the Japanese television program "Fashion Tsushin" for WWD Japan's parent company, Infas. He retained the role of executive producer of the program at the time of his death.