The frontman of influential Japanese rock band RC Succession, Kiyoshiro Imawano, has died in Tokyo aged 58.
RC Succession were one of Japan's leading rock bands in seventies, and enjoyed some international success also. Imawano was unusual for the Japanese rock scene in that he was politically active and recorded a number of songs against nuclear armaments, and spoke out against war and supported Tibetan freedom. Later in his career he performed under his own name, and became a regular at the Fuji Rock festival.
However, he had to withdraw from performing in 2006 after being diagnosed with throat cancer, and it was cancer that finally led to his death this weekend.