News On Japan

Singer Yukio Hashi Dies at 82, Twice Winner of the Japan Record Award

TOKYO, Sep 06 (News On Japan) - Singer Yukio Hashi has died on September 4th at the age of 82, his management company announced.

Hashi made his debut in 1960 with the song 'Itako Gasa.' He won the Japan Record Award twice with 'Itsudemo Yume wo,' a duet with Sayuri Yoshinaga, and with 'Muhyo.' Alongside Kazuo Funaki and Teruhiko Saigo, he was celebrated as one of the 'Big Three' of the era, gaining widespread popularity.

In May this year, his agency Yume Group disclosed that Hashi had been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. At a press conference on September 1st, Yume Group President Shigehiro Ishida revealed the severity of his condition, noting, "He was said to have forgotten my name three days after a performance."

News On Japan
POPULAR NEWS

Thick black smoke billowed across an expressway in Fukuoka on May 11th after a fire broke out beneath an elevated section of the road, temporarily blocking visibility for drivers and forcing a partial road closure.

Part of the exterior wall of a commercial building collapsed in Osaka on May 10th, causing a nearby highway signpost to topple onto a taxi in what authorities suspect may have been linked to the building’s aging condition.

A brown bear was caught on camera running at high speed through a residential area in Hokkaido, as sightings of unusually large bears continue to spread across the region this spring.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) announced on May 7th that Tokyo has been selected as a host city for the Olympic Qualifying Series, where athletes will compete for places at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

The "Okihiki" ceremony, in which citizens transport timber to the Outer Shrine of Ise Grand Shrine ahead of its next Shikinen Sengu reconstruction seven years from now, began in Ise City, Mie Prefecture, on May 9th.

MEDIA CHANNELS
         

MORE Entertainment NEWS

The Osaka Shochikuza theater, which has entertained audiences in Osaka’s Dotonbori district for more than a century through films, kabuki and live performances, will close in June 2026 due to aging facilities and the high cost of renovations.

A video of a giant fish biting a keeper’s arm at an aquarium in Hokkaido has surged in popularity, racking up 60 million views online and sparking widespread curiosity about the unusual performance.

Today we turn out attention to the magical world of the puppet theatre! (Kabuki In-Depth)

Mizuno has made a full-scale entry into the esports market, unveiling gaming controllers and chairs that draw on its expertise in sports equipment, as the company seeks to establish a new source of revenue in the rapidly growing sector.

A new theater operated by the Shiki Theatre Company was unveiled on May 1st in Nagoya’s Atsuta Ward, replacing the former Nagoya Shiki Theatre that closed in February, with the new MTG Nagoya Shiki Theatre increasing seating capacity by about 100 while prioritizing clear stage visibility from every seat.

Dorohedero Season 2, Dandelion, The Ramparts of Ice, and SPY x FAMILY Season 3. (Netflix Anime)

We round up our coverage of the April kabuki performances by having a look at the show at the Kanamaru-za theatre in Konpira! (Kabuki In-Depth)

In a tense face-off between Baki and Biscuit Oliva, the onlooking guard notes something startling about Baki's physique and stance. (Netflix Anime)