Japanese composer Ryuichi Sakamoto dies at 71

April 2 (UPI) -- Famed Japanese composer Ryuichi Sakamoto, known for scoring films like The Revenant and The Last Emperor, has died at 71.

Sakamoto's death was confirmed on his Instagram page and by his management company Avex Entertainment Inc. According to his management team, he had been undergoing treatment for cancer since June 2020, though a cause of death was not shared.

"We would like to express our deepest gratitude to his fans and all those who supported his activities, as well as the medical professionals in Japan and the U.S. who did everything in their power to cure him," the agency said in a statement.

Sakamoto was born on Jan. 17, 1952, in Tokyo. He began his journey in music at just 6 years old when started taking piano lessons. Before long, he was composing music. He would earn a master's degree in composition from the Tokyo University of the Arts before forming the Yellow Magic Orchestra with Haruomi Hosono and Yukihiro Takahashi.

With the Yellow Magic Orchestra, Sakamoto became a pioneer in electronic music, composing techno pop pieces as well as ambient soundscapes that have been credited with influencing groups like Daft Punk and Depeche Mode.

Sakamoto would become one of the most famous composers for film in the world, lending his style to more than 30 films since the early 1980s. He has also released more than a dozen solo albums, including his final album 12, which he released in January.

In 2014, Sakamoto was diagnosed with throat cancer. He largely paused working at this time but made room to compose the music for the 2015 film The Revenant. He was nominated for multiple awards for his score, including the Grammy for best score soundtrack.

In January 2021, Sakamoto was diagnosed with rectal cancer. During both of his bouts with cancer he drew from the prospect of his death to produce music, which he did again with the album 12.

"Finally, we would like to share one of Sakamoto's favorite quotes: 'Ars longa, vita brevis.' Art is long. Life is short," a statement from Sakamoto's management said.