Kyu Sakamoto

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Kyu Sakamoto "坂本九" (real name "Hisasi Osima") was a singer and actor, born on December 10, 1941 in Kanagawa, Japan.

 Musical career 
Sakamoto's song "Sukiyaki" became the first Japanese song in the United States to sell a million copies and reached No.1 on a music chart on June 15, 1963. Its original (Japanese) title is "上を向いて歩こう" which means "I look up as I walk".

 Death 
On August 12, 1985, Sakamoto is one of 509 passengers on Japan Air Lines Flight 123 aboard from Kanagawa crashed into the Mount Takamagahara in Gunma Prefecture caused by in-flight structural failure due to improper maintenance leading to explosive decompression. He, along with 519 others were killed, including all 15 crew member on board and leaving 4 female passengers survived with their serious injuries. He is survived by his wife and their two daughters.

 His hit songs 
His major hit songs were as follows.

何もいらない俺だけど (1959)
悲しき六十才 (1960)
ステキなタイミング (Good Timi`n) (1960)
月夜に歩けば (Walkin' in The Moonlight) (1961)
カレンダーガール (Calendar Girl) (1961)
見上げてごらん夜の星を (1963)
上を向いて歩こう (Sukiyaki) (1963)
幸せなら手をたたこう (1964)
涙くんさよなら (1965)words and music by Kuranosuke Hamaguchi.

 Notes 

 Outer links 
Kyu Sakamoto Official Web Site
Sukiyaki (上を向いて歩こう) with English translation and lyrics at YouTube

Category:1941 births
Category:1985 deaths
Category:Singers from Kanagawa Prefecture
Category:Japanese movie actors