Drummer Yukihiro Takahashi Dead at 70: Did Yellow Magic Orchestra Member Die of Health Issue?

Yukihiro Takahashi, a drummer and vocalist who founded the famed Japanese electronic band Yellow Magic Orchestra, has died. He was 70.

Multiple Japanese publications, including NHK and The Japan Times, cited the statement released by Takahashi's office, confirming the musician's death on Jan. 11. The same reports revealed that aspiration pneumonia was his cause of death.

Yahoo! News Japan detailed that the musician had been battling pneumonia at the start of this year.

Penn Medicine's official website says aspiration pneumonia occurs when a person breathes liquid or food into the lungs or airways instead of swallowing them. Some of its risk factors include coma, drinking alcohol, taking illicit drugs, old age, problems with swallowing, poop gag reflex, and being less alert because of illness, medicines, or surgery.

Meanwhile, its symptoms are breath odor, problems swallowing, confusion, fever, fatigue, and chest pain, among others.

Before his death, Takahashi revealed in a tweet in 2021 that he needed to undergo more treatment following surgery in 2020 to remove a brain tumor.

Following the confirmation of his death, Twitter users took their heartbreaks on the platform and thanked Takahashi for his music and for creating Yellow Magic Orchestra.

Remembering Yellow Magic Orchestra's Drummer and Vocalist Yukihiro Takahashi

The Tokyo-native musician started his career in the early 1970s. Takahashi initially performed with his brother, Nobuyuki Takahashi, in the bands Buzz and glam-rock Sadistic Mika Band.

The group conquered the UK charts and became the opening for Roxy Music's Siren Tour. The members also made appearances on BBC TV and radio before its disbandment.

His career did not stop there as he, alongside Ryuichi Sakamoto and Haruomi Hosono, created YMO. They released their debut album alongside the hit single, "Computer Game," which immediately made it to the Top 20 in the UK's music charts.

YMO's rising fame made them secure a music guest spot on "Soul Train."

Among the albums he made of the band included "Yellow Magic Orchestra," "Solid State Survivor," "BGM," "Technodelic," Naughty Boys," "Service," and "Technodon."

Takahashi notably launched Beatniks in 1981 alongside Keiichi Suzuki. They stayed as a group for decades following the release of its first album, "Existentialism."

He also created Sketch Show with Hosono in the 2000s and Human Audio Sponge with Sakamoto in 2004.

Before his brain surgery, he was still able to participate in Metafive's single, "Environmental," in 2020.