Japanese Actress Yukiji Asaoka Dies

May 20, 2018

Tokyo- Yukiji Asaoka, a Japanese actress who appeared in a number of movies as well as television and stage dramas, died at her home in Tokyo on April 27, it was learned Sunday. She was 82.

Asaoka, whose real name was Yukie Kato, was batting Alzheimer's disease.

Asaoka became an actress after working as a member of the Takarazuka Revue all-female musical troupe. She gained popularity in the late 1960s as an assistant to TV personality Kyosen Ohashi in "11 PM," a late-night TV information program.

As a singer, she sang hit songs including "Ame ga Yandara" (once it stops raining).

She married actor and movie director Masahiko Tsugawa in 1973 and they came to be known as lovebirds.

Also a Japanese classical dancer, Asaoka was the matriarch of the Shinsui style of dance. She is a daughter of noted Japanese painter Shinsui Ito.

She appeared in movies, such as "Gokudo no Onnatachi Revenge," and a morning serial TV drama of Japan Broadcasting Corp., or NHK. She also served as voice actress in anime movies of the late director Isao Takahata.

In 2011, Asaoka received the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Rosette. Jiji Press